Ascension of the Halliwells
by bBsya-aJa
Summary: When Phyliss Halliwell, aspiring Crime Investigator and accomplished witch, heads to Massachusetts to save a Son of Ipswich, she didn't realize that she would discover the ultimate secret her family never wanted her to know. Charmedxover. ReidOC. TylerOC.
1. Premonition

_**Ascension of the Halliwells** _by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Premonition**

_**A/N: **_Greetings readers! For those of you who have no idea what you have just stumbled upon, this is a story that crosses the Covenant over with hit TV supernatural series 'Charmed'. It is about the next generation of the Halliwells and the Sons of Ipswich. I'm aware that the timelines just don't match and that there are around two to three stories that have this type of crossover but I think I'm onto something and if you guys are interested in discovering my plot, be courteous enough to leave me a sign that I should continue. And now, without further ado, let me introduce _Ascension of the Halliwells_…

-

Phyliss Halliwell woke up from her dream; beads of sweat trickling down the side of her face. She was panting for air as if she hadn't breathed in a week. Like in her dream. Or - more accurately - her nightmare. She was underground – and probably in the Underworld – by the looks of it and she was tied up. To a stake, no less. But it hadn't been her body… she had been stuck in another's. Probably a boy's, because she could definitely something missing – and at the same time, extra - with her body. _Did I forget to mention the fact that there was a mirror hanging on the opposite side of the room? _She had gotten a scare when she had looked into it and a boy with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes had looked back.

She shook her head, trying to clear off those unhealthy thoughts. The point was, she had been tied up, a real cute guy – who happened to have pitch-black eyes – had taunted her, calling her 'Reid', and trying to choke her. His mocking went unheard, his voice drowned by some weird buzzing. All she could hear was him calling the guy, whose body she was in, Reid. This Reid was obviously in pain. She knew because she could feel it too. She only wished she could help him. Problem was, she didn't know how and when it had actually happened. Was it going to or had it already? She clenched her fists, wishing she knew just what was going on and gasped, feeling a sudden sting in her right palm.

She opened it and cursed. Her hand was bleeding but most importantly, it was the object that had caused the injury. A silver razor, stained with her blood lay in her palm and Phyliss knew it had definitely not been there when she had gone to sleep three hours ago. The blood was starting to drip onto the bed sheets and cursing again, she ran to the bathroom, washed it off and tried to bandage her hand as well as she could with the uninjured hand. She studied the razor carefully in the bathroom light having washed off the bloodstains. It was silver and plain and there were no special marks to indicate what had manufactured it or who owned it. Still, she knew she could use it to find out whether the guy – Reid – was still alive and if he was, where.

Phyliss looked about her. She wondered if she could enter the Halliwell Manor undetected and start scrying. She wasn't going to get any sleep that was for sure. Positive that she wouldn't get caught, she Flamed out of her bathroom… and into the attic. As quietly as possible, she grabbed a map of America and a crystal pendulum. She held it with the razor in her bandaged hands and held it above the map's center. She knew that a mental image was enough if you concentrated but Phyliss wasn't sure she could and besides, a corporeal object was always better than a memory. The razor would guarantee a real find. _If he's in America, that is_. Phyliss thought, despairingly as the crystal moved, controlled by her hand, still unable to get an exact location. But her despair proved to be in vain; within the next five seconds, the string went taut and the crystal dropped itself on Ipswich, Massachusetts.

"Yes!" She punched the air with her uninjured fist, quite forgetting to keep her voice down.

"Phyliss?" Her aunt Piper's voice surprised her from the doorway and she dropped the crystal string and razor she had been clutching.

_Uh-oh._ Phyliss thought. _Busted._

"Uh… hi, Aunt Piper." She waved guiltily.

"Hey, what's going on--- Phyliss?" Wyatt asked, groggily. His room was the nearest to the attic and being the light sleeper that he was, had immediately been alerted and dashed up to the attic… after putting on some clothes. Chris, who had his room, right across, was still in bed, snug as a bug and snoring away. Wyatt cursed his baby brother silently.

-

"Honey, you don't _have_ precognitive dreams." Piper told her niece for what seemed like the thousandth time. Phyliss had told her and Wyatt the whole story, showing her the razor, her bandaged hand and the map. "Unless a demon placed a spell on you." She added after a moment, remembering when a warlock named Timothy McBride had cast a spell on Phoebe so that a dreamlike premonition, very similar to what Phyliss had described, would lead her to a letter hidden in a back panel concealed by a wooden dresser. The letter, written by a great-great-Aunt of theirs, claimed that the new Charmed One, meaning Paige, was a traitor and would endanger the Power of Three. All that, of course was phony and in the end, they managed to vanquish the warlock's butt before he did any more damage.

"No, but that's the thing." Phyliss said, frustrated. "I don't think it was fake. It seemed so _real_, Aunt Piper."

"Look," Piper placed a hand on her niece's knee. "We've been through this before and the last time it happened, the bad guy almost got your Aunt Paige. I'm _not_ risking it happening again."

"Fine, so maybe it's fake." Phyliss said. "But that doesn't mean we can't investigate it. Plus, I know about that whole letter in the back panel thing… Mom told me. This dream wasn't about creating discord between the family… it was about two guys, one was tied to the stake and the other wasn't. He was _evil_, Aunt Piper and he was torturing the one tied to the stake. We're supposed to fight evil and save the humans and if we keep suspecting things like this and never taking a chance, then we won't be able to do our job, will we?"

Piper sighed at the logic in her niece's words and Phyliss hid a triumphant smile, knowing that she had won this battle. Wyatt just stood in a corner, listening and absorbing their words.

"Okay, you got me." Piper admitted. "What do you propose we do?"

Phyliss took a deep breath. "Let me go to Ipswich."

"Absolutely not!" This time, it was Wyatt who spoke.

"I second that." Piper raised a hand.

"Why not?" Phyliss asked, irritatedly.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Well… not alone, at least. Someone's going with you." She meaningfully laid her eyes on her eldest son, who was still rubbing the sand from his eyes. Once he fully realized what she was suggesting however, he pointed at himself and gave the two women a look of pure dumbness. "Me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't realize I had another blonde son." Piper glared at him. "C'mon, Wyatt; you're the Twice Blessed One. Surely that's gotta mean _something_. There's no one better than you to go with Phyliss."

Wyatt groaned. "Oh, yeah… obviously no one because it's _such_ a known fact that I don't have any brothers or that Phyliss doesn't have any other cousins."

"Aww… c'mon, Wy." Phyliss whined. "If you don't come with me, Aunt Piper won't let me go to Massachusetts and I won't be able to investigate."

Wyatt sighed. Everyone knew Phyliss wanted to earn her degree in Criminal Justice; CSI had always been her favourite show and her motivation. "Fine." He relented. The squeal of delight that emerged from his cousin just a second later almost deafened him.

"Lisa, shush!" Piper widened her eyes, hoping that her niece hadn't woken up the whole household. To be honest, even though she shouldn't, Phyliss was her favourite niece; she just had the spirit of determination in her that reminded Piper so much of Prue. Once Phyliss had made up her mind on something, she stuck to it and battled Hell – literally, on some occasions – to achieve it.

"Wait." Wyatt held up a hand, pausing the celebrations. "How're you going to find this…Reid guy anyway?"

Phyliss tapped the top of the notebook she had on her lap. She had been typing vigorously on it as she had talked and was prepared to share her findings with her family. That was another thing about his cousin that frustrated him so much; her inability to discuss stuff that she wasn't one hundred percent sure about. Phyliss was a perfectionist with a capital P and she lived up to it every day of her life.

"Simple. I Googled him. Reid." She said.

"And I bet you got a million hits." Wyatt smirked at his cousin.

"Not when I added in Ipswich and Massachusetts. And oh, Spencer Academy was one of my keywords too. It sorta popped up when I searched up Ipswich."

"Spencer Academy?" Piper blinked. "It rings a little bell."

"Of course it does." Phyliss replied, excitedly. "It's the most prestigious boarding school in Ipswich for the reigning elite _aand_ guess who's got a scholarship offer there?"

"You've gotta be kidding me." Wyatt blurted.

"Nope." Phyliss bounced on the couch happily. "It's just so lucky, isn't it?" She sighed and looked up to Heaven. "Thank you, God!"

"Okay, you know what?" Piper said. "This just makes me more creeped out."

Phyliss' shoulders sagged. "Aunt Piper…"

"Okay, okay… don't let me ruin the joy… now tell me what this Reid boy has to do with the Academy?"

"Well, his full name is Reid Garwin and he's apparently a pool star at his school. Don't ask me how I know – apparently the school's not exactly into making their students confidential. They've got _everyone's_ photos up there!"

Piper's forehead wrinkled with confusion. "He plays billiard?"

"Uh, no… as in swimming… he's a swimming champion for his own stroke." Phyliss tried to explain. "Apparently, while places like Baker High are more into football, they take pride in their swimmers."

Piper shook her head. She had been a nerd in high school and definitely avoided the athletes, most of whom tended to make fun of her.

"Wait. How do you know Garvin's from Spencer?" Wyatt's forehead creased.

"Gar_win_, Wyatt." Phyliss automatically corrected her cousin, and then frowned as she realized something. "Actually, I don't know. It was just one of those hunches. I saw it on one of the links and I just clicked on it. Turns out I was right anyway; there's only one Reid living in Ipswich. The boy – the other boy -, his name's Chase Collins and he mysteriously disappeared a few nights ago."

"You thinking demon? Or warlock?" Piper asked anxiously.

"Maybe." Phyliss admitted.

There was a pause. "I don't like this." Piper said. "I don't like this at all. And I don't think your mom would agree to let you go to this academy either."

"That's why I was thinking…" Phyliss bit her lower lip softly. "Of not letting her know at all."

Piper stared at her niece. "You mean _lying_."

"Oh, c'mon Aunt Pipey." Phyliss used the name she had called her aunt Piper when she had been six and not able to pronounce her name properly. Piper rolled her eyes.

Piper looked up at her son. "You up for lying to your ol' Aunt Phoebe?" She asked Wyatt.

Phyliss turned glaring eyes on Wyatt, as if daring him to defy. Wyatt shrugged in acquiescence. Piper sighed. "You _do_ know that if your mom finds out…"

"I'll take the blame." Phyliss promised. "I'll say I blackmailed you into going along with me. And anyway, it's going to get me to Harvard. I say, why not?"

-

_**R & R:)**__** It'd make my day.**_


	2. Pristine

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Pristine**

**-**

Phyliss stood outside Spencer Academy. She had arrived just that morning, had moved in with Wyatt's help and with a little magic, had sorted out everything. She had managed to get Aunt Piper and Wyatt to loosen up the deal that morning; Wyatt would not step into the situation unless things got out of control or Phyliss called for him. Since it was just her in the room, she hadn't had much worry that she would be exposed for using magic. Of course, there was that little rule about personal gain but she realized that since the Elders had sent her that vision, they had to know that she had to prioritize and finding out more about Reid Garwin had been on the top of her list. She had asked around and had gathered little information on this guy but she had yet to meet him in the flesh.

She pushed open the doors, only to find that the hallways were empty. Of course, the students were all in class and since she had yet to introduce herself to the Provost, she had to report to him before heading for any of her lessons. It was a little creepy, she thought, as she walked down the corridor. So quiet. So empty. As soon as she thought about the word 'creepy', it triggered everything she knew associated with it. The nightmares, her family, her life…

The new Charmed Ones now composed of the eldest child of each sister. Wyatt, her elder sister Jessica and Paige's son, Henry Junior. However, before long, she, Chris and Grace, the middle children of the three sisters found out that they were apart of a whole new prophecy. As soon as they reached their eighteenth birthdays, they would be given ultimate power over the elements. Now however, what she had was only twenty-five percent of the real thing.

Chris and Grace had already received the other three-quarters of the power that was promised them. Chris was a telekinetic, thus air was his element and Grace had been able to control whatever Mother Nature grew ever since she had been born. Phyliss was an accomplished pyrokinetic but she knew she would be three times stronger when she reached her eighteenth birthday, which was in three days. She did wonder however, who was to receive the element of water. It was just as important as fire, earth and air was but there seemed no obvious recipient. Her aunts and mother had pondered over it as well and Leo had asked about it from the Elders but they had – or wouldn't give – no answer. Oh, well.

She found the office, opened it and was met by a bored-looking secretary who seemed to know she was coming because she just nodded towards a handsome wooden door - polished and so shiny you could see your reflection – with a gold plate stuck to it, reading Provost Higgins. She knocked, preferring to be polite, and then opened it slightly. She could see a balding man in his early seventies sitting at his desk and studying some files.

"Provost Higgins?" The man looked up. "Phyliss Halliwell reporting."

At once, the provost beamed and gestured her in with a hand. "Aah… Miss Halliwell. I've been awaiting you. Sit, sit." He invited.

He surveyed her with an appraising eye. "I see you've worn your uniform already. And in the correct way. Very good, very good."

"They were delivered yesterday to my room. I…was under the impression that we were to wear them to school, sir." Phyliss said uncertainly. That was what uniforms were for, weren't they?

"Yes, yes." He nodded. "It's just that some students don't hold our uniform in such high regard."

"Well, I always thought uniforms were a good thing." Phyliss said, before she could think. The Provost raised an eyebrow interestedly as if asking her to explain. "Well, I mean… it's better than just wearing whatever you want… after all, it _is_ a school and students are supposed to protect the honor of a school, especially one as fine as this."

The Provost stared at her.

"I'm sorry…" Phyliss muttered. "I babble a lot when I'm nervous."

But the Provost only leaned in and spoke, "I think that must have been one of the best speeches I've ever heard."

Phyliss blushed appropriately. "Thank you, sir."

He stood up. "Well, now, we are not going to get things done by just sitting around, are we? Let's get on with the tour."

Phyliss nodded and stood. "Oh and by the way." The Provost said as they headed out of the office. "That hair colour _is_ natural, I hope? I'm afraid the school will not tolerate any dying of hair though we only made that rule because students were highlighting their hair in the most outrageous colours."

Phyliss fingered her golden-brown locks. "Nope." She shook her head. "Mine all the way."

The Provost nodded. "Yes, well; you have to forgive me for asking you that. It's just rather rare that you see a student with that exact shade. Why, the last one I saw must be… Pogue Parry, I guess."

The name rang a little bell but she couldn't place it. The Provost showed her a few places where she knew she could hang out; the library, the cafeteria which looked more like a cyber-net café - what with it's plush interiors - without the computers and lastly, he asked her whether she would want to go see the swimming pool. Despite her immense dislike of water, Phyliss knew that this was where she would most likely find the infamous Reid Garwin, at least once she got hold of his schedule and so, she consented.

"Ah… I see some of our top swimmers already warming up. Do you like to swim?" The Provost asked.

"No." Phyliss replied. "I… I have a phobia of water."

The Provost turned back to watch the guys. Phyliss knew that she had lost some points in saying that she couldn't swim but she didn't come here to kiss ass and suck up; she came to save somebody's life.

So, by the pool, she started recollecting all the mental notes she had about Reid Garwin. As far as people could tell her, he was blonde, a player and he had a little club. The only other name from the group she could remember was a Caleb Danvers. Apparently, there were two others but she couldn't recall their names.

When she got back to reality, she realized that the Provost had been talking to her. "… and one day they're going to be the pride of our school, you know."

"Uh, yeah. I'm sure they are." Phyliss agreed, not knowing exactly what she was agreeing to.

"Oh, here's one of them; Caleb! Come over here for a moment, would you?" Phyliss' heart skipped a beat. Here she was, about to meet one of Garwin's friends! Was he here as well?

A handsome dark-haired boy with a really great body, Phyliss couldn't help noticing, walked over. _I mean, for God's sakes; he's wearing Speedos! And aren't I supposed to observe everything I can?_ She almost slapped her forehead for that thought, and then decided at the very last moment that it would seem awkward.

"Provost Higgins?" Caleb looked curiously at the light-haired girl beside the headmaster.

"I'd like you to meet our new student, Miss…" He trailed off for her to introduce herself.

"Phyliss Halliwell." She extended her hand.

"Caleb Danvers," He nodded, giving her a huge friendly grin as he shook it. "It's nice to get another student in here."

"It's nice to _be_ here." Phyliss replied.

"Yo, Caleb!" Someone behind Phyliss yelled. The Provost and Phyliss turned to see who it was.

_Oh, shit._ There he was, in all his infamous glory. Reid Garwin. She knew it from the moment she laid eyes on him. Handsome, strong facial features with blue orbs that could make a girl's heart melt with. Boy, was he scrawnier than Phyliss expected. Two other boys flanked him at his sides as they walked up to the Provost.

"Mr. Garwin, Mr. Parry, Mr. Simms." The Provost nodded at them. They returned the greeting, almost whispering. _Ahh… so _this _is Pogue Parry. Can't say the Provost is wrong; we could have traded wigs and no one would be the wiser._ Phyliss thought, eying the boy the Provost had called 'Mr. Parry'. Only three people she knew had that shade of brown; her mom, herself… and now Pogue.

"I would like you to meet Miss Halliwell." He nodded in Phyliss' direction. "She's a transfer student from San Francisco and she's here to improve her chances of getting into…"

"Harvard." Phyliss supplied helpfully. "To get a master's in Criminal Justice."

"CSI." Reid nodded. "Neat."

Phyliss smiled politely at him, interlacing her fingers behind her back.

"Well, Miss Halliwell, if you would like to view the Science lab…" The Provost suggested.

"I'll be seeing you around, boys." Phyliss eyed each boy, nodding then walked around them and the Provost followed her, excusing himself.

"She's cute." Tyler observed.

"Mm-hmm…" Reid replied, uninterestedly. "Like any other girl in Spencer."

"Give her a break guys." Caleb snapped. "For Spencer to be considering someone outside of Massachusetts, she's gotta have one hell of a special talent."

If only he knew.

The other three made a non-committal noise as they prepared for their turn in the pool. Transfer-ins made a lot of news in Spencer since there were so few of them but this girl looked nothing special. For all they knew, she could be just another bookworm who defined 'cool' as libraries and tonnes of homework.

Not one of them knew exactly what kind of impact she would be making into their lives in due time.

-

_**A/N: **_Okay, so you've gotten a little background info on Phyliss and also her current status as a witch. Next chapter should come pretty soon since the story is still in an introductory phase. I had contemplated on mashing them up together but the result would have been too long and tedious so I've decided to separate them. **Please feel free to suggest scenes that you are interested in seeing so that I might squeeze them into the plot.**


	3. Party

_**Ascension of the Halliwells** _by_**bBsya-aJa**_

**Party**

**-**

Phyliss got used to the luxury that was Spencer Academy within hours and since it was Saturday and school was out for the weekend, she wasted no time in immersing herself with the history of Ipswich in her little dorm room, which she shared with a girl she hadn't yet had a chance to meet. She had found some pretty cool links that enlisted the small town having a connection to the Salem Witch hunt and she felt too curious to let it go.

"John Putnam…" She whispered as her fingers trailed the jet-black words on the page. _Five families… Garwin… _Why were the Garwins being mentioned in the… _Chronicles of Paganism_? "Witchcraft?" She wondered aloud, then continued to read.

"Families suspected but cleared of witchcraft also included the Danvers, the Simms, the Garwins and the Parrys. Another founder of Ipswich, John Putnam, also accused was found guilty and was _burned at the stake_."

Phyliss thought back to the Book of Shadows in the attic where she had spent her last few minutes in San Francisco searching up anything related to Chase Collins. Although nothing of that name turned up, there had however been a small paragraph dedicated to Ipswich although nobody had been specifically mentioned. Phyliss needed information; right now the guy she was supposed to be protecting could possibly be a witch… heck, he was hanging out with a whole group of potential witches.

There was only one person she could trust to get the necessary data from the Book of Shadows: Hannah.

-

"Hello?" Phyliss smiled at her cousin's voice.

"Hannah, it's me, Phyliss."

"Phyl!" Hannah squeaked. "I'm so glad you called!"

"Me too. Why are we whispering?"

"'Cuz I'm in detention."

"Hann…"

"Don't start, Phyl. Miss me?"

"Hann, it's only been five hours. I'll miss you later, okay?"

"Okay. What's up?"

"Listen, I need you to get a little bit of info from the Book for me. Scribble what I'm saying onto something. I need to know everything that the Book can give me about the Danvers, the Simms, the Parrys, the Garwins and the Putnams of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Even the littlest scrap of data would help."

"Got it. Wait, how do you spell Parry? P-E-R-R-Y?"

"P-A, Hann." Phyliss corrected. In the background she could hear someone calling her cousin.

"Oops, I'm busted. Look, I'll email what I can get to you a.s.a.p. Buh-bye!"

The line disconnected and Phyliss was left hoping that 'a.s.a.p.' meant _really soon_. She wouldn't be able to sleep without properly knowing whether Reid Garwin and his friends were human or not. The fact that someone would be taking him into the Underworld was reason enough for her to believe that he possessed something special.

_Knock. Knock._

Phyliss practically ran to get the door, shoving the book on the history of Ipswich under her bed sheets. She opened it, looking thoroughly harried and her hair absolutely frizzled.

"Uh… hi." Two girls stood before her, looking about her age and quite flustered by her out-of-breath appearance.

"Hi." The two of them replied in unison.

A few moments later and no one was speaking. Phyliss thought that she might take the first step. "Uh… sorry if I'm being rude but…"

"Oh! Kari Simms!" The brunette extended a hand immediately, as if snapped out of her silent trance by Phyliss' voice.

Phyliss shook it cautiously. _Another_ Simms? "And this is Nicole Marlin." She gestured to the blonde beside her who broke out into a wide grin. "She's your roommate."

"Phyliss Halliwell." She introduced herself.

"Oh, I know." Kari nodded enthusiastically. "Tyler told me about you, said to watch out for the new girl."

"Watch out?" Phyliss wondered aloud. "Am I dangerous?"

Kari and Nicole laughed. "Well, I don't think that wasn't exactly the way he meant it." The blonde said.

"I get it." Phyliss nodded. "Wanna come in?"

The two girls accepted and within minutes, they were already all over the room, laughing at the silly, offensive things that the two of them said about the seniors at Spencer and all the latest gossip. "And oh, if you ever need help with anything about school or stuff, my brother's fifth floor." Kari finished.

"And you?"

"Oh no." Kari shook her head. "I stay at home. Mom doesn't allow me to stay in the dorms since I'm a _girl_."

Phyliss merely shook her head in disappointment on behalf of her new friend. "So tell me about your brother. I met him at the pool when I arrived here and I met his friends."

"Oh, well…" Kari tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "He's… he's shy. And not so good with girls… not good at chatting them up, you know? And then there're his friends… Caleb's the good one, Reid's the rebel and Pogue…" As she said his name, a sudden flush came over her cheeks.

Phyliss noticed it immediately and teased her on it. "You like him…" She accused.

Kari blushed three shades brighter and Phyliss burst into laughter. Nicole, however, looked at her friend disapprovingly. "Oh, for God's sakes, Kari… Pogue's got a _girlfriend_."

"Oh?" Phyliss raised an eyebrow. "He's attached? To whom?"

"A spoiled little bitch called Kate." Nicole rolled her eyes.

"I sense you don't like her very much?"

"Well, duh!" Nicole nearly yelled while Kari tried her best to calm the little firework down. "That girl's got such a sweet boyfriend and the moment this new, hot transfer-in guy steps in, she starts flirting with _him_ too! Listen to me and tell me this girl deserves him!"

"What's his name?" Phyliss asked curiously. If she was on the right track, then it would be…

"The transfer student? Chase Collins."

Ahhh… smart. Clever way to get to them: jealousy. It always worked the first time. And maybe if someone was a hardcore lover, they wouldn't have learnt from it if they got hit a thousand times. And from the look on Kari's face, she probably knew about it. Question was: what happened to Chase Collins?

"Oh, shush, Nic. It wasn't Kate's fault. Chase was seducing her." Kari muttered.

"Which only just proves that their love wasn't strong enough to withstand an obstacle." Nicole protested.

_Not if it was magical._ Phyliss thought. "Well, what about the other three? Are they attached?" Phyliss asked, eager to move on.

"Well, Caleb's already steady with another transfer student from the Boston Public. She's actually nice. Only, she hangs out with _Kate_." Nicole's nose twitched as if being associated with Kate was equal to having rabies.

"And other two?" Phyliss asked, wondering if Reid had a girlfriend.

"Still single." Kari said, shaking her head. "I keep wondering when Tyler's gonna bring a nice girl home." Then, a disgusted look spread across her face. "Well, it would have been soon if Reid wasn't banging girls all round Spencer."

"Lemme guess. Casanova?"

Kari nodded. "He lives it up to the extreme." Then she looked at the clock and a look of alarm crossed over her face. "Hey, enough of girlie talk. We've gotta get you ready for the party tonight."

"There's a party?" Phyliss was genuinely surprised. A private school… especially with its students having high chances of entering top schools. Surely it would enforce stricter rules?

Nicole giggled. "Well, actually, the police caught on so the party was cut short. This one's a makeup for the other night."

"Oh… well, I'm not sure I have any party clothes since I came here to… well, study." Phyliss finished awkwardly.

Nicole waved a dismissive hand at her as if to shoo away the problem. "Oh, don't worry 'bout that; you look about my size… and I have lots of clothes I haven't tried on yet but with luck, we'll find you something _sleek_."

As it turned out, they _did_ find something for Phyliss. Nicole had picked out for her a beautiful shimmery teal tube-dress, which fell to her knees; matching her eyes perfectly, dress high-heel sandals and a light green sweater for the cold. It turned out to be preparations for a prom; Phyliss had her hair ironed perfectly straight, her nails to be painted the same colour as her dress, soft pink lip gloss applied on her lips to make it extra sparkly and the basic make-up.

"You sure I'm not attending Prince William's wedding?" She asked as Nicole gently pasted on fake eyelashes over her own.

They both laughed but returned quickly to their job of making her perfect for the night. "Okay, be honest with me. What exactly are you dressing me for?"

"Oh, shush… being beautiful on the night you get introduced to the Spencer students doesn't do you any harm, does it?" Kari defended.

Phyliss merely shrugged. She had been turned away from the mirror and forbidden to see herself. Finally, they announced that their work was done and spun her around so that she could see herself. The girl in the mirror wasn't just lovely, she was _glowing_. Whatever make-up Nicole and Kari had applied to her skin, it made her radiant and she thanked them for a job well done. "Ooh… just look at you." Nicole sighed in envy. "You're going to attract every guy's attention."

Phyliss' eyes widened. Attract _every_ guy's attention? Yeah, that'd be perfect… just the thing to make sure her cover wasn't going to be blown.

-

Phyliss looked around at the gyrating bodies of the Spenser Academy students. It was hard to believe that someday, eighty-five percent of these wild undergraduates would probably be influential men and women of society, wherever they might be. _Oh, well… I expect Bill Clinton must have done _something_ wild in his earlier days._

She scanned the crowd several times before finally finding Kari and Nicole, both in the process of flirting heavily with a group of senior boys. She waited patiently for them to bid their farewells before walking up and suggesting that they find the drinks table.

"You wanna meet my brother and his friends too?" Kari asked. "I'm sure they're hanging here somewhere."

Phyliss felt unsure. They might be partying with friends of their own tonight and she didn't want to intrude but on the other hand, she had a job to do…

Before she could make up her mind, however, Kari had dragged her by the elbow and abruptly stopped in front of a blonde boy whom had his back turned to them. It seemed he was exchanging numbers with the two buxom brunettes practically throwing himself at him. Phyliss instantly recognized him. Reid Garwin.

"Garwin!" Kari called impatiently. "Hey Garwin!"

He turned towards them looking utterly annoyed at having been disturbed but his expression immediately changed the moment he recognized the girl beside Kari.

"Hey… Philadelphia isn't it?"

"It's Phyliss." Kari corrected, rolling her eyes. "Where's Tyler?"

"Over with Caleb and the rest." Reid replied, hooking a thumb over his shoulder pointing to a specific direction, his eyes still affixed on Phyliss. "You finding him?"

"Well, duh!" Kari was about to drag Phyliss over to meet her brother when someone called Kari's name. "One moment." Phyliss thought that Kari looked slightly agitated which was rather ironic since it had been _her_ who had had suggested they come to the party to have _fun_. A lot of fun this turned out to be, Phyliss thought exasperatedly.

"You go ahead." Reid told Kari. "I'll bring her to Tyler."

Kari stared at Reid for a second, as if trying to decide on whether to trust him or not. Finally, she turned to Phyliss and with a firm 'I'll be right back' dashed off. "Well, isn't _she_ in a bit of a rush tonight?" Reid asked, chuckling as he watched the sixteen-year old disappear into the crowd.

"Yeah, she _does_ seem popular, doesn't she?" Phyliss agreed.

"Don't mind her… she's only doing her duties." Reid told her as he started walking in the general direction of where his brothers amassed.

"Duties?" Phyliss echoed.

"Well, she _is_ the only daughter of one of the most prominent families in Ipswich. She'll be the most eligible bachelorette around here once she reaches twenty-one."

Phyliss stared at the back of Reid's head as she followed him. "Lovely." Apparently, a small town like Ipswich stayed with age-old traditions. Were there still arranged marriages here? Blech.

"Well, there they are." Reid stopped and pointed to a small group huddled near one of the bonfires. Phyliss could just make out the faces of Pogue and an Afro-American girl hanging on his arm. _That must be Kate._ She realized.

"You aren't coming?" Phyliss asked in surprise when Reid didn't follow her.

"Nah… I think I'm gonna mingle with the rest of the crowd." Reid replied casually, stuffing his hands into his jeans pocket. When he noticed that Phyliss was hesitant to move another step, he frowned. "What's the matter? Don't you wanna go see Caleb and the rest?"

Phyliss shook her head, much to Reid's – and her own – surprise. "No, not really."

"Why not?"

She shrugged, racking her brains for a plausible excuse to stay close to him. "I don't know… I don't really feel that comfortable around them."

Reid scoffed. "I think you're feeling uncomfortable around the wrong people, babe… _I'm_ the bad guy here. Anyway, I promised Kari I'd take you to Tyler… you don't want me to be getting into trouble for disobeying Little Miss Bossy, do you?"

Phyliss pretended to consider. "Well, I don't know..."

Reid smirked at her. "Hey you!" Kari jumped in out of nowhere, hooking her arm around Phyliss' own right one and dragging her away, casting Reid one last wary glance. Reid could almost laugh out loud the way Tyler's baby sister acted around him. She treated him as if he was the worst kind of monster; one you didn't even want to be connected in the slightest way to. Pity he was the best friend of her brother.

As for Phyliss, the girl was nice and innocent. Too innocent. He grinned. _I think I'm gonna like her hanging around._

-

"_Hey, Phil._" Phoebe Halliwell's voice crackled through her daughter's cell phone happily.

"Hey, mom." Phyliss grinned, as she flicked through the pages of the book she'd picked out for her assignment.

"_So… how's it going?_"

"Great. Really good."

"_Well, that's fabulous! So tell me; how's school? Have you made any friends? Will there be a boy coming for Christmas?"_

"Mom!" Phyliss cried out, attracting the attention of nearby students who glared at her.

"_Sorry, honey. But really, at your age, you should start finding a guy. God knows, the earlier the better since…_" Her mother's voice trailed off and Phyliss understood. Finding Mr. Right while having a witchy secret was something no amount of power could help her with.

"I know, Mom." Phyliss said, gently. "But really, I don't need a guy in my life right now… everything's so perfect I'm not sure I'd like the change."

"Well, I can change that." A deep, husky voice whispered into her right ear.

Phyliss immediately shot up from her seat and whirled around to see a tall guy with shoulder-length brown hair, which slightly resembled Pogue if it were not for the common shade of his hair. Pogue's had been a golden-brown, similar to Phyliss' own.

"Uh… I'll call you later Mom." She whispered into the phone.

"_Hello? Hello, Phil… who is that? Phil, are you there? Hel---_" But before Phoebe could finish, Phyliss had cut the line.

"Um, hi."

"Hey." The guy leaned over the chair Phyliss had been sitting on and extended his hand. "Aaron Abbot."

"Phyliss Halliwell." She replied, shaking it.

"So I saw you were new." He continued, letting go of her hand.

"I _am_ new." Phyliss answered.

"Good. So how 'bout I show you Ipswich tonight? I've always been game for bringing 'round people from out-of-town." Aaron offered.

Phyliss had the feeling that Aaron was game for any girl he could catch but she knew better than to be throwing it in his face. "Well, I don't know…"

"Aww, c'mon… I'll bring you to Nicky's. He's safe and he won't allow any underage students to get drunk under his watch."

"How 'bout spiked?" Phyliss blurted out.

He stared at her for a moment, then let out a harsh laugh. "That won't happen, I promise. Look, my girlfriend's gonna be coming so you know I won't try anything. Just between you and me, Kira's a very jealous girl."

"Then you'll be risking her ire by asking me along, won't you?" Phyliss pointed out.

He shrugged. "Well if the girl's not gonna even allow me to make female friends, then she's not worth it, won't cha say?"

Phyliss gave in; Aaron was a master with words and she didn't have the heart to put him down. Besides, he seemed nice and even if he _were_ going to turn back on his words, she had her own backup.

-

_**A/N: **_And so our main character realizes that there might be something about the Sons of Ipswich that is not so entirely normal. What could happen when she finds out the truth? Will she up and away from Ipswich… or will she stay? R & R!


	4. Peril

**_Ascension Of The Halliwells _**by**_ bBsya-aJa_  
**

**Peril**

-

"Aaron Abbot?!" Phyliss winced and covered her ears.

"Oh My God, Phyliss; what were you _thinking_?" Nicole shrieked. "Kira's going to _kill_ you… you'll look like something the cat dragged in by the time you get back here!"

"Oh, come on; Aaron's just going to show me around. He's gonna take me to Nicky's _with_ Kira and it's gonna be totally safe. And besides, I don't trust guys too easily… especially guys like him. I'll be careful."

"Not careful enough." Nicole insisted. "You mark my words, girl… 'around' is not the only place he'll show you. And what makes you think that having his girlfriend nearby means that you're safe?"

Phyliss opened her mouth to protest but before any words could come out, Nicole had already shushed her. "Uh-uh, girlie… you march out that door and cancel it with Aaron. I'd rather you date Garwin and truthfully speaking, so would Kari!"

Phyliss shut her mouth and hesitated. "Wow, that _is_ saying a lot." She stated. Seeing how much Kari detested and despised Reid Garwin, Phyliss wondered just how _bad_ Aaron really was.

"He is the world's biggest _prick_, he's a jerk who cheats on his girlfriend whom I am sorry to say _deserves _it, he treats girls like the dirt he walks on and worst of all, he isn't even _cute_." Nicole continued, all in one breath. "How could you go out with someone who isn't even the slightest bit cute _or_ handsome?"

"Nicole, if you're not realizing it: there's actually supposed to be more to a guy than just his looks if you wanna spend the rest of your life with him." Phyliss said exasperatedly. "And anyway, it's too late to just blow him off so I guess I'm gonna go."

"Well, fine then. Just don't come crying to me if he puts a stake through your heart." Nicole snapped dramatically.

Phyliss rolled her eyes. "Oh, and by the way, when you're at Nicky's, look out for Kari and her brother; they'll help you if you get into trouble with Abbot. Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, _Mom_. Jeez, you sure act bossy for someone younger than me."

"Well, you sure act _impulsively_ for an eighteen year old."

"If you mean 'live-for-the-day-kinda-girl' then thank you." Phyliss retorted, eying her roommate irritatedly.

"Hah, you wish! Now let's get you into something decent."

It turned out that Nicole had a knack for turning something plain into something extraordinary without the help of Kari after all. With plenty of fashion creativity and a large stock of make-up, she was once again able to dress Phyliss for the casual occasion. Tantalizing, yet never revealing had been her motto for the night.

Nicole wanted to push Phyliss in the direction of _attractive_ guys, for instance Tyler Sims, who would be certain to notice her what with how she looked like now. It had been a plot, concocted by the very devious Kari Sims and her sidekick, Nicole. They decided that they liked Phyliss a lot. If she got with Tyler, then it would be killing two birds with one stone already – Tyler would be able to bring home a nice girl _and_ their good friend would no longer be boyfriend-less. It was a _perfect_ plan.

It was just too bad the Elders didn't agree.

-

Pogue grabbed the nearest shirt hanging from his closet and threw it on; the other Sons were planning to go to Nicky's tonight and he definitely didn't want to miss out on all the fun. Besides, it was Sunday and Kate would be there and if he knew her well – which he did -, she'd be all dressed up and ready to have a good party before Monday came.

Excited, he grabbed his wallet and cellphone sitting on the small table in his room. As he did so, he couldn't help but notice a glass of water that he had poured for himself last night. He hadn't exactly finished it but what exactly had snagged his attention had been the fact that the water had been moving… _swirling_ in its confined space.

He shook his head; surely the long hours of swimming practice hadn't gotten to him already? But even in practice… he had felt different in the water. Calmer somehow even though he had no reason to be; the swim meet with the Salem Sharks was less than a week away and Coach Botham was breathing down their necks harder than ever. True, Pogue had thought, the competition had just gone up a notch ever since Oliver Cranston had joined the swimming team over at Salem's Institute _and_ he was swimming Pogue's style. Double crap.

"Hey Parry!" The coach had yelled. He had seen Pogue floating in the pool indifferently and slacking off some serious practice time and it definitely pissed him off. "If you think you're such a hotshot who doesn't need practice, lemme see you do the usual twelve… and beat your time."

His Covenant brothers, who had pricked up their ears, stared at Pogue. Pogue had worked hard to achieve his current timing and if he failed to accomplish what Coach Botham had demanded of him… well, he might actually get kicked off the school team. Which would really suck since Aaron Abbot was his back up.

Pogue had hopped out of the pool, given his friends a confident wink before nodding at the coach who started his stopwatch. He completed his twelve laps six seconds faster than his present record… and he wasn't even out of breath! Caleb, Tyler and Reid had patted him on the back, congratulating him. "Swim like that at the swim meet… or even better and I think the trophy's ours." His coach had nodded at him before leaving them. "Practice's over boys!"

Before they left for the showers, Pogue took one last glance at the pool. Something incredible had happened in there and he wasn't sure what it had been; the water had suddenly begun to feel easier for his arms to chop through as if it had been nothing but air. His lungs had suddenly expanded and he hadn't felt like he needed to breathe. He had shrugged it off then; it was probably just a good pool day for him. If the coach had caught him on any other day, that might have been the end of his swimming career in Spencer.

Pogue shook his head at the memory; yeah, it had been nothing but a good day. Grabbing the cup, he tossed its contents into the sink in the bathroom before heading out of his room.

-

"Nicky's isn't the most classiest but it's a _great_ place to scout for cute guys." Kira told Phyliss as she added another layer of the red lip-gloss she never seemed to be seen without. She sat beside Aaron in the passenger seat of the SUV he owned. If Kira had felt disturbed at the sudden presence of a pretty newcomer, she didn't show it.

Phyliss nodded, looking out the window and avoiding the rearview mirror. She could sense Aaron eying her throughout the drive to Nicky's. It unnerved her slightly. Luckily, Kira was oblivious. She fidgeted slightly in her seat. She wished she could scratch that slight itch on her right thigh but it would have been an eye-opener for Aaron if he looked into the mirror again and anyway, her long fingernails would have torn the pantyhose she was wearing.

It was a relief when they arrived. She excused herself immediately once they were inside, leaving Kira and Aaron at the entrance and pushing herself through the crowd, was able to get to the bar and ask directions for a restroom. "Straight past the jukebox and turn to the right." A bartender informed her.

She nodded her thanks. After satisfyingly fixing her itch, she went out of the grubby cubicle to join two other girls at the sink. Two extremely _familiar_ girls.

"Oh, hi!" Sarah grinned. "You're Kari's friend… uh, Phillipa?"

"Phyliss, actually." Phyliss grinned. The initial annoyance at everyone who pronounced her name wrongly reduced over the years as she grew more patient and understood that a name like hers took time to be committed to memory.

"Oh, sorry." The blonde waved her hand apologetically.

"So, who you here with?" Kate asked curiously.

"Uh… some guy named Aaron. And his girlfriend Kira."

Their reactions might have been more comical if she hadn't seen it before on Nicole's face just two hours ago. "Oh come on." Phyliss moaned. "He can't be that bad."

"He _is_ that bad." Sarah blurted out.

"Tell you what." Kate said as she hung an arm around Phyllis's neck and walked her to the entrance of the toilet. "Dump Aaron and stick with us tonight."

"I couldn't do that." Phyliss protested. "Aaron and Kira would get all offended…"

"Oh don't worry; the guys would protect us whenever there's trouble with Aaron." Sarah assured her.

Phyliss was up for another round of objection when they reached the table where the four Sons of Ipswich were seated. All four stared at her. Phyliss blushed under all the attention but Reid fortunately broke the awkward moment before it got to downright embarrassing. "Well, well, well. Phoebe, right?"

"It's Phyliss." This time, Sarah and Kate joined in and they even managed to squeeze in a synchronized eye-roll. "Phoebe's my mom." Phyliss added in helpfully.

Reid returned the gesture. "Whatever." He muttered.

"Have a seat." The handsome dark-haired one, Caleb, offered her.

Phyliss was about to politely decline when Kate gently shoved her into the seat directly in front of her. "Sit." The brunette girl ordered before reclaiming her place next to her longhaired boyfriend. Looking at Pogue's brown locks reminded her of her own hair colour and she unconsciously reached up and twisted a few strands.

"So… we must have talked for like ten seconds last night." Pogue joked. "Before Baby Boy's little sister pulled you away. Regular socialite isn't she?"

Phyliss glanced at Tyler. He was blushing a brick red from the nickname. "Uh yeah." She managed to say. _God Phyl, you _are _lame!_ She struggled to find words that would start a real conversation and get them to warm up to her. "But I guess that's understandable. I mean," She looked at Reid. "She _is_ the only daughter of one of the most prominent families in Ipswich. She'll probably be the most eligible bachelorette in town once comes of age… right?"

Reid stared at her and he mouthed something that Phyliss was able to catch: _copycat_.

The whole table was in silence for one agonizingly long second and then suddenly, the six of them excluding Reid exploded into uproarious laughter. Phyliss giggled along nervously, wondering what had caused such a response.

"Damn, what did you research about the Sims or something?" Caleb asked. He turned to Tyler and lightly punched him in the arm. "Dude, I think you've got an admirer…"

"Well, you'd better not be referring to Phyliss here or else that would be a shame." Phyliss looked up to see a livid Aaron standing behind Pogue.

"Kinda ironic, Abbot, seeing as how the only shame here is you." Reid stood up; hands balled into fists and placed firmly on the wooden table.

"Reid." Phyliss heard Caleb mutter, warning the younger boy.

"C'mon, Phyliss, let's go." Aaron beckoned to her.

Phyliss pushed back her chair, unwilling to seem ungrateful to the guy but Sarah and Kate both reached out and grabbed at her arm. Reid noticed this and smirked at Aaron. "Sorry, dude. She doesn't seem to want to go with you. So why don't you just leave?"

"How 'bout no?" Aaron took a menacing step towards the blonde.

A bald middle-aged man who stood behind the bar called out for the two of them to cease the hostility before he threw them out, a huge baseball bat slapping against his palm menacingly. Aaron glared at Reid before he turned his eyes on me. "Phyl, it's either you come with me now… or you lose me and Kira."

Before Phyliss could open her mouth, a smug Kate cut her off. "That won't be a problem, Aaron. She'll just hang out with us."

Aaron stared at Phyliss for a second longer as she froze in her seat before he took off, swearing and cursing at them. "Guys, what did you do? Aaron and Kira were my only friends in senior year." Phyliss squeaked.

"Pffft." Kate waved a dismissive hand. "Aaron and Kira don't have friends, they have _followers_."

"You'd be better off without them, Phyliss." Tyler agreed.

"Get used to it; you're hanging with _us_ now." Caleb said firmly.

Phyliss couldn't help but grin at her new friends. They so reminded her of her own friends in San Francisco; ever supportive and unafraid to help her out whenever she got into trouble. Mortal trouble, anyway. And Nicky's… it kinda make her think her of P3. _I guess that goes to show that wherever you are, Phyl, you could still somehow make that place like home._

Outside, the biting cold wind drew thick swirling mists of fog that hardly any light could penetrate. Not very far off, a 5' 10" figure stood in the middle of the road, his eyes closed, his mind wandering as he concentrated on the thing he was looking for. _Halliwell…_ A guttural voice whispered. His eyes snapped open, revealing dark green irises. _Another witch?_ He wondered. _Interesting…_ And then he vanished… disappeared as if he had blended himself into the fog.

And as she sat, safe and comfortable in Nicky's with her new pals, Phyliss could not help but wonder at the slight tug she had felt, as if somewhere deep down inside her, there had been a string connecting her to another being and that being had just pulled on it. _Question is… hallucination… or supernatural?_ She thought as she stared out of a window to her right. Phyliss thought she could see a spine-chillingly familiar face grinning at her.

-

_**A/N: **_Ooh... who could _that_ be? And what is the strangeness that Pogue is feeling? Updates comes with reviews! ;) By the way, a link to the character concept of Phyliss Halliwell is on my profile... and I've also added a link for Wyatt. Just in case nobody who read this story ever watched Charmed.


	5. Power

**_Ascension of the Halliwells_ by _bBsya-aJa_ **

**Power**

-

The next day when Aaron cornered her at the lockers, Phyliss was able to get rid of him without much of a problem. With Sarah and Kate hanging around her and the Sons of Ipswich hanging around _them_, Aaron buzzed off pretty quick.

"You guys… how can I ever thank you?" She muttered gratefully.

"Aw, that's okay, kid." Pogue winked.

Phyliss smirked. Pogue had taken to calling her 'kid' ever since he had found out that she had been born on exactly the same day as he had aka today.

"Well, I know _they're_ not expecting anything," Reid nodded to his friends. "But if you really mean that, I could think of _some_ ways."

"Eww, Garwin, stop that." Sarah frowned.

Phyliss chuckled. She didn't mind the light tease but all the while a constant reminder kept her on her toes like an endless siren. The more that they felt comfortable around her, the more that she knew that they trusted her and accepted her. On one hand, it definitely helped her cause to infiltrate their circle and gain their trust. On the other hand…

"So, what're you gonna do for your 18th birthday?" Caleb's voice interrupted her thoughts.

They had been walking to History and on the way Phyliss had let her mind wander.

"Um…" In fact Phyliss had _plenty_ to do and her Ascension to become a fully bloomed Firestarter was on top of her list. "Not much. Just mope around Ipswich, ya know."

"Mmm. Sounds dreadfully exciting." Kate rolled her eyes. "C'mon. You're turning _eighteen_. Surely that's gotta mean _something_."

"Well… I've got a friend from San Francisco coming over to spend the weekend…" This was true; Hannah, Aunt Paige's daughter, would be sleeping over for a while since Nicole would be visiting her parents in Springfield. "I'm sorta celebrating with her… y'know, a quiet little celebration between the two of us." Phyliss hoped that she had stressed the last three words enough to hint to Kate and Sarah that they shouldn't offer to spend her eighteenth birthday with her. The slightly rejected look on their faces told her that much. "She's been a 'lil sore about my transferring to Spencer." Phyliss added in the hope of softening the unambiguous remark.

"I absolutely understand." Sarah smiled. "I've got 'pals' from Boston still bitter about it and would you believe that was even _after_ I tried visiting them just to see how it was going?" She shook her head. "You go on and enjoy time with your friend. Just remember though if you ever need to spice things up, Kate and me are in 243."

Phyliss nodded appreciatively as they entered the classroom. Sliding into her seat and the far right of the spacious area, she felt a little guilt nibbling on her insides. She hadn't lied about Hannah coming over. Then again she hadn't told them that she herself would go back to the old homeland at Revello Drive, courtesy of Hannah's orbing.

Too caught up in her own world, Phyliss didn't notice the pair of eyes that had been watching her ever since she had entered class.

-

Tyler hurried through the corridor of the dormitory building, anxious that he would be the last one to arrive at the old colony house. He checked his watch; he had twenty minutes until Pogue's Ascension. If he missed it, Caleb would probably throttle him, Reid would--- BAM!

"Ohmygawd!" He heard a girl shriek a millisecond before impact.

Something – and Tyler suspected that it was the girl's head – had smacked into his chest… hard. As he stepped away, rubbing his sore chest, he saw a blonde figure clutching to the wall for support, her other hand on her forehead.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." He immediately stepped back towards the girl, hands ready to help.

"Whoa, no touch-y!" The girl swung around, releasing her hold on the wall to face him. "Ugh…" She rubbed her forehead harshly.

"You uh… you okay?" Tyler asked.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" The girl snapped back, stumbling in her dizziness. Tyler grabbed a hold of her shoulders before she tripped.

"Hey, hey." He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Focus!"

Her brown eyes widened and she stared at his fingers. "Are you okay?" Tyler asked again.

"Uh-huh." She nodded.

"Good." He let go of her shoulders and she started to rub her forehead vigorously again.

"Damn, your chest is _haard_." He heard her mutter.

Tyler couldn't help the grin that was slowly spreading across his lips. As if she knew that he was smiling, her head snapped up and she stared at him. "You didn't just hear what I said, did you?"

"Uh…"

"Because I meant that in the least insinuating way possible." She continued, her expression desperately serious.

By now, Tyler could hardly fight back the urge to burst into hysterical laughter.

"And I'm not--- What?" She snapped, noticing how his body was shaking slightly and the way his teeth were biting down on his lower lip.

Tyler calmed himself down before extending his hand. "Tyler Simms."

The blonde looked down at it, an eyebrow raised. She must have thought he was crazy. "Hannah Mitchell." She finally relented.

"And for the record, I _didn't_ hear what you say but you make it sound pretty shady." Tyler teased her.

Hannah blushed guiltily. "I said--- never mind."

"So… I haven't seen you around here before." Tyler added.

Inwardly, he cursed himself. Pogue's Ascension was drawing nearer and nearer and here he was chatting up some girl he had literally bumped into. But he couldn't help it; Hannah had just become the girl who had broken the record by being able to stand being around dull, dull Tyler Simms for more than ten seconds, besides Kate, Sarah and Phyliss and he was definitely interested in getting to know her better. She _was_ pretty cute.

"That's because I've never been here before." She replied. "I'm looking for my cousin… a Phyliss Halliwell? Any idea where her dorm room is?"

"Phyliss? _You're_ a cousin of _Phyliss_?" Tyler asked incredulously. Where Phyliss was rather average-looking, Hannah definitely wasn't, that was what made it almost unbelievable. At least, it would have been had the Covenant and their respective girlfriends not gotten a chance to get to know the young Halliwell better. Phyliss had an endearing charisma that had instantly made them warm up to her, Pogue especially.

"Yeah. You know where her dorm is?" Hannah asked.

"Sure. It's like two floors down. This is the guys' dorm actually."

As if on cue, a male student with nothing covering his naked body except for a white towel, which hung frighteningly loose on his waist, strolled past. "'Sup Simms." He nodded casually at Tyler who nodded back at him. Hannah simply looked away from the offending sight.

"Wanna get out of here?"

Hannah nodded quickly and Tyler led her to the staircase.

"Her dorm's the fifth one to the left." Tyler told her as they reached the third level.

"Okay. Thanks." She smiled gratefully at him before walking off to find her cousin.

"Hey Hannah?"

She turned around. "Hmm?"

"C-could I have your number or something… maybe we could hang out sometime." Tyler prayed hard that she would say yes.

"Um…" Her hesitance was nothing new to Tyler; he had seen it often in other girls and it only meant two things: either she was attached or not interested.

"Never mind." He murmured before hurrying down the stairs.

-

"Knock, knock."

Phyliss ran to the door and threw it open. She knew that voice.

"Hannah!" She squealed, throwing her arms around her giggling cousin who hugged her back heartily.

"Happy birthday! Oh, I missed you _so much_!" Hannah gushed as she let go.

"Me too! So I reckon you've brought something along with you?" Phyliss asked.

Hannah seemed confused. "Well, if you meant a present, they're all at the Man---"

"No, no!" Phyliss shook her head, lowering her voice. "I meant as in the _information_. You know… the thing I asked you to search in the Book?"

"Oh!" Hannah's eyes widened as she recalled the conversation she had had with her cousin just two nights ago and shuffled her feet guiltily. "Actually, I haven't gotten a chance to get some time alone with the book."

"How come?" Phyliss frowned.

"The Manor was attacked the night you called and they haven't vanquished the demon so they're searching for it. The Book hasn't left their sides for a second."

"Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine. We're gonna be needing a new coffee table though."

_Damn_, Phyliss thought. She had loved that table.

"So… get us to the Manor?"

"Sure."

Phyliss clasped hands with the cousin as the older witched orbed them home.

-

"Hey, Baby Boy." Reid greeted as Tyler jogged over to where the boys were standing. "Where you been?" He had no idea, for the life of him why they had chosen the ruined Putnam Barn for Pogue's Ascension. Since it was now looking pretty fragile, he thought they might not have to wait for premature aging after all; the force of the Power that Pogue would be receiving might just be what the structure needed to collapse. _With us underneath,_ Tyler thought grimly.

"Tyler!" Caleb growled. "Reid makes a good point; where the _hell_ have you been?"

Tyler raised an eyebrow at his leader. "Chill, Caleb. I'm here now, aren't I?"

"That isn't the point! You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago---"

"Caleb, relax!" Pogue interrupted. "Would you guys just stop fighting until it's over. I'm already nervous as it is." He added, muttering under his breath. This was it; the moment when he would get his full powers. He checked his watch. Five more minutes.

-

"Hey, kiddo. Happy birthday." Leo had been the first to give Phyliss a bear hug and wish her when they arrived.

"Leo!" Phoebe cried, batting at her brother-in-law. "I was supposed to give the first hug!"

"Didn't matter Mom, Hann was the first anyway." Phyliss laughed as she stepped away from her uncle and hugged her mother.

"Happy birthday, Phyl." Her mother whispered, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Phyliss looked around her. Everyone was here, all busy setting the table or gathered around the television, even… "Jess? Ohmygod, you made it!" She launched herself at the eldest of Phoebe's daughters, almost tackling her half-sister to the ground. She hadn't seen Jess in _weeks_ since the Elders had sent her off on some secret mission that none of the adults would tell her about.

"Well, duh!" She retorted. "Did you think I'd miss my Philly-Dilly's _eighteenth_ birthday when she finally gets full powers?"

"Watch it with the nicknames." Phyliss warned. "Or I'm gonna burn your a---"

"Phyliss!"

"Sorry mom."

"Now get your butt upstairs, missy; we don't need an Ascension ceremony in our living room."

"Yes ma'am."

Grabbing Jess and her other sister, Sabrina, along, she took the stairs two at a time.

"Some_one_'s excited." Jess laughed at the overeager teen.

"Who wouldn't be? I mean she's gonna be a Firestarter… a _real _Firestarter!" Sabrina gushed.

"So how's the technopathy going?" Phyliss asked, referring to her half-sister's newfound power.

"Great, actually but Dad's trying to get me to… evolve my powers. Like a Pokemon."

Phyliss grinned. Yep, that sounded like good ol' Coop.

"Alright!" Grace, Hannah's twin sister, carried in a bowl of steaming hot water, mixed with cinnamon, rose thorns and other such earthly materials. It was a necessary part of the ritual as the Elders had decided. "Here it is! One more minute, Phyl and you're gonna be…"

"Complete?" Sabrina suggested.

"Assured."

"How's the Ascension ceremony?" Phyliss asked the older girl.

Hannah cocked her head to one side. "Kinda… disorienting. It doesn't hurt though and it won't throw you off your feet like a demon attack would."

Just then, the three Charmed women walked in. "Well… this is it." Paige declared, looking at her niece. "Ready?"

There was a sudden flash of lightning outside, a huge roar of thunder following almost immediately. _That's funny._ Phyliss thought. _The weather seemed fine just now. And there's no rain… _Worries about the sudden change of weather were thrown aside however; there was an important ceremony to be held and since the older women weren't particularly bothered, Phyliss thought she had no reason to be either.

"I'm all set." Phyliss confirmed.

"Okay then. Girls… how 'bout it?" Paige looked over her shoulder and smiled as her sisters held her outstretched hands. Together, the three of them stepped up to the Book, which immediately flipped to the page, which contained the spell to unbind all the middle children of the Charmed Ones' powers as an Elemental upon their eighteenth birthday. Phyliss stepped into the pentagram drawn on the floor and her mother and aunts started to recite.

"_In this night and in this hour_

_We call upon the Ancient Power…"_

-

"Dude, you okay?" Reid asked, an eyebrow raised. He never thought that Pogue would be so panic-stricken at the thought of receiving his full Power.

"I'm cool." Pogue replied curtly. He glanced at his watch again. 15 more seconds.

-

"_Power of Elements_

_And Power of Three…"_

Phyliss smiled reassuringly at her sisters as her own feet started to shiver. She wondered if it had something to do with all the noise and flashes of light outside the window. God, what a nerve-racking experience this was. Thankfully, she only had to go through this once.

10 seconds…

-

"_Hear the call of the Charmed Ones, three_

_Grant upon this witch, the power that was bequeathed…"_

"Really?" Reid asked. "'Cuz you look like you just shit in your pants."

"Reid, lay off him!" Caleb snapped just as a roll of thunder temporarily deafened them.

-

_5…_

"_Bless her from above and underneath"_

_4…_

_3…_

"_As I will so mote it be…"_

_2…_

"Pogue…" Tyler whispered, staring at his watch.

-

A heavenly light enveloped Phyllis and the clear glass bowl before her. Before her eyes, a golden mist started to rise out of the bowl. _It's happening…_ Phyliss screamed silently. The mist started to swirl around her, blocking out the light. Phyliss closed her eyes; there was nothing to see anyway.

"Phyliss…" A voice seemed to whisper… and then she felt _it_. It entered her body, searching for someplace, somewhere to go…

-

_1…_

"ACK!" Pogue clutched at his heart, dropping to his knees. There was something… _inside_ him. It whirled and twirled making these funny feelings in his stomach. It wasn't exactly painful but being unaccustomed to the new sensation made Pogue wish for it to go away. And then, as if someone had heard his wish, the feeling disappeared as soon as it had appeared.

"Pogue!" He saw his brothers approach him, concern evident in their voices.

Suddenly he could it. The Power. It searched for him and his soul instinctively called out to it. The surge of Power hit him, its force throwing him against a wall and suddenly all Pogue could think of was the darkness… how wonderful it would have been to slip into unconsciousness… and away from the agony.

-

"Phyliss!" Phoebe yelled as she witnessed her daughter getting pinned to the wall by an invisible force, a grey mist surrounding her. But Phyliss couldn't hear her; she seemed to be caught up in her own pain… whatever that foggy thing was, it was causing her daughter to hurt.

And then before her eyes, Phyliss melted away… and reappeared on the floor.

-

At first Pogue hadn't been so sure but as the pain slowly went away, the voice became clearer.

Pogue… 

_Pogue._

"I'm here." Pogue murmured. He could feel hands carrying him… strong arms that lifted him and placed him somewhere soft. "I'm here."

"Yeah, you are buddy. You're here and alive…" A familiar voice told him.

Pogue only moaned before he fell off into a deep sleep… sweet, blissful sleep.

And far away in the city of San Francisco as Phoebe Halliwell tucked her unconscious daughter into bed, the young Firestarter muttered one word… "Pogue…"

Phoebe froze. She had heard wrongly… right? After all these years, she had never thought that she would hear that name… despite Phyliss going to Ipswich… despite everything. How wrong she had been.

-

_**A/N:**_ There you are, Chapter 5. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed _Ascension_ because those reviews are the reason why this chapter is here. I hope you enjoyed my piece on Pogue and Phyliss's own respective Ascensions though I think you guys must be asking why things happened the way they did. How come Phyliss was experiencing something that Grace had said _wouldn't_ happen? Why was Phoebe so shocked on hearing Pogue's name? All the answers come with your wonderful reviews, comments & feedback. ;)


	6. Possibilities

_**Ascension of the Halliwells**_ by _**bBsya-aJa**_

**Possibilities**

_**A/N: **_An important note: In my story, Leo doesn't become Headmaster of the Magic School. Paige remains as Headmistress. Leo merely teaches. Enjoy this chapter because it took me three hours of non-stop typing to finish it and most importantly, give me **feedback** and **suggestions** people! This chapter would mostly acquaint you to Phyliss's relationship with her mother and make the best of it because I think after this one, the rest are featuring Phyliss and the Covenant.

-

Phyliss awoke in the middle of the night, beads of sweat running down her face and a huge bump on her forehead. She looked around wildly, one hand massaging the sore spot; this wasn't her dorm room! It was… _Oh… my own room in the Manor._ Then she frowned. Why was she here? Had Reid Garwin and Spencer Academy been a dream? She glanced at the infrared numbers on her digital clock. _2.18 A.M. _Her Ascension. She had orbed over from Ipswich with Hannah for her Ascension! And she had Ascended! But something else had happened…

Shaking her head, she hopped out of bed and went downstairs to the kitchen. A woman was sitting at the living room on the sofa, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders carelessly. "Mom?" Phyliss called.

Phoebe Halliwell's head turned and Phyliss could see now that her mother was drunk. In her hand was a bottle of Jack and on the table laid two other bottles of booze. "Mom!" Phyliss hissed, grabbing the bottle out of her mother's hand. Phoebe did not retaliate. Phyliss had never seen her mother drink so much… except at family celebrations in which case she was exempted of having to give any excuse for her state of inebriation.

"Mom, what were doing up so late?" Phyliss asked, slowly pushing her mother down on the sofa so that the older woman was lying down.

"Just… thinking. Reminiscing." Phoebe slurred.

"At two am in the morning?" Phyliss asked, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice.

"Why not?" Phoebe muttered. "That was when you were conceived anyway."

Phyliss's eyes widened and she backed away from her mom. "Ugh! Mom!"

"Did I ever tell you how much you look… like him?"

"Who?" Phyliss looked away although she knew exactly whom her mother was talking about.

"You have his eyes… and his hair." Phoebe murmured, gazing at her daughter as if she had not heard the question. "I loved his hair. Your lips are mine though."

"You need to go to sleep mom, you're talking no sense." Phyliss said. She patted her mother on the side of her thigh before retreating upstairs, sparing the unconscious figure on the sofa a last glance.

Phyliss didn't sleep at all last night. She tossed and turned, thinking about her birth father. About all her _3_ fathers, two of whom she'd never met and her mother's present husband. Coop had been a supportive and loving husband and Phyliss was truly happy that her mother had found somebody. He had been a great father as well, or as best he could as a stand-in. But Phyliss had never thought of him that way; as a substitute for her biological dad … at least, not until her mother first mentioned Wayland Cameron at her fourteenth birthday.

Because her mother had described him so vividly, Phyliss was almost able to imagine how the man looked like… almost. In her eyes, he stood at about six feet with wavy hair, the same colour as hers, that touched hazel eyes and the back of his neck. Her mother had often said that he was a daredevil, a risk taker and that the moment she had laid her eyes on him, she had fallen into a kind of desiring lust for the man. Coop had heard all this without even flinching. Of course, Coop had seen everything; had existed in this plane long before Phoebe came to be but Phyliss wondered how her stepfather managed to stay in the same room without reacting to one of his wife's stories about old boyfriends and lovers.

Phoebe was, however, quick to promise Phyliss that whatever feelings her and Wayland had shared, it had never come close to love. It had been a fling; a one night stand in the romantic city of Paris where both of them had run away to and coincidentally, met. "And until now, I haven't heard or seen news of him." Phoebe had told her.

"Wow. I wonder how he would have reacted if he'd known that his daughter was a witch." Phyliss had questioned. "Maybe he would have been like Grandpa."

"Maybe." Phoebe nodded slowly. Then a gentle smile had crept onto her face and Phyliss was reminded of the soft beauty her mother still possessed despite being in mid-forties. "But I think he would have been proud of you. Of what a strong and beautiful girl you've grown up to be."

Phyliss had only smiled in response. If there was beauty in her, she couldn't see it. At school, she was a nerd, a Science freak. At home… even Wyatt was a prettier thing than she was. At fifteen, Phyliss had been a very awkward girl but as time flew by, she had learnt to accept that she was one of the people on Earth who were never meant to be beautiful. Ever.

-

Phyliss crept down when the ruckus in the kitchen started. It was a common thing for the Halliwells now. So common that Chris was able to sleep through it, even when a plate broke or the television was accidentally turned on to its maximum volume. But then Chris was a pig. He could have slept through an earthquake and woken up in the afternoon among the debris.

She spied on her mother who was still lying on the couch before sneaking into the kitchen to get coffee. Drinking coffee was a morning ritual for her. She had thought it pretty cool when Sara Sidle from CSI took Styrofoam cups of it to crime scenes and had taken to drinking it even though she thought it tasted bitter and paled in comparison to tea. However, years of adjusting the amount of coffee powder and sugar in her coffee – and the compulsive need to be exactly like CSI Sidle – had made it a favourite drink of hers.

"Hey, honey." Piper Halliwell greeted as she scooped up freshly made pancakes from the pan and placed them on a plate.

"Morning, Aunt Piper! Mmm… smells good." Phyliss smiled, taking in a whiff of the delicious flapjacks, which her eldest aunt was famous for.

"Help yourself. After last night, I'm surprised you weren't snooping for food in here when I came down." She said. Junior, Paige's eldest, reached out to grab a slice from the stack and was immediately beaten away by Piper. "Wash." She ordered, pointing at his filthy hands, all black from motor oil. Phyliss guessed that he had been working on his bike again.

"What _happened_ last night?" Phyliss asked, rubbing her forehead again.

"Well, after you Ascended, you were kinda pinned to the wall and…" Piper peered at her niece curiously. "Do you even remember?"

"Bits of it." Phyliss admitted, biting into a pancake. "Where's Hannah?"

"Mm-mm-mm-mmphm-mmm." Junior hummed, his mouth full of blueberry pancake. Phyliss stared at her cousin as Piper whacked her nephew on the arm. "Excuse me, did you leave your table manners with your bike? Don't talk with your mouth full." Junior swallowed hard. "She's still at Magic School." He gasped.

"Oh."

Ever since Paige had married Henry Mitchell, she had moved into Magic School, creating rooms for her and her family. It was accessible by a door which had been fashioned by magic at the staircase landing, invisible to the normal people's eyes or as Sabrina like to call them; Muggles.

"Well then I guess I'd better go dress and get her. I promised to show her around Ipswich and to stay over tonight. Thanks for the pancake, Aunt Piper. Good luck with the bike, J." Phyliss finished up her pancake, drained her cup of coffee before heading back to her room.

On the way as she passed the living room, she noticed that her mother had sat up, a hand on her forehead. "Morning, Mom." She greeted.

"Oh, Phyliss! Hey! Would you come here a sec?" Phoebe asked, beckoning her daughter to sit beside her.

"Sure." Phyliss sat down, wondering if it was about the talk they'd had last night. Or more precisely, this morning.

"Listen. I know I said some stuff to you earlier on… and I don't quite remember what it was. Except that it had to do with your father. I know you don't care much for him and I want you to know… that I'm sorry I brought him up."

"Aww, Mom… it's okay. And you know what; I'd like to get to know my real dad better. If I ever get the chance, that is. He sounds like a real nice guy."

"Oh, he was. Amazing man, Wayland was." Phoebe said quietly, her eyes gazing soulfully out the window.

Phyliss watched her mother. "Do you ever… regret, not having any sons, Mom?"

"Sons?" Phoebe echoed, looking at her daughter.

"Yeah, I mean Aunt Piper has Wyatt and Chris and Aunt Paige has Junior. And you have three girls. Ever wished one of us was a boy?"

Phoebe leaned in, touching her daughter's cheek softly. "Never. Ever since the day I've had you three, I have never wished for a son."

"What would you have named him? If you had a son." Phyliss probed curiously.

Phoebe seemed to think about it for a moment. "Allen." She finally said. "Allen Halliwell, after your great-grandfather. I met him when your aunts and me time-travelled back to the 70s, you know? He was so cool…"

"What happened to him?" Phyliss asked. "He died of age?"

"No." Phoebe said. "Your Gram's best friend killed him. Along with her warlock boyfriend. After that she kinda fell into a warlock and demon slayage gig."

"Oh…" Phyliss felt sorry for her vivacious great-grandmother, who often came onto the earthly plane to visit her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

"And, uh… I _had _planned to give this to you last night but you were knocked out cold by the blast." Phoebe pulled out something from her sweater's pocket, keeping the item in a tightly wrapped fist so that Phyliss couldn't see what it was. She gestured for Phyliss to open her palm before wrapping her daughter's fingers around the object.

Phyliss opened her fist slowly and gasped. It was a necklace with a silver and blue heart-shaped pendant, which had been embellished with a few diamonds, at its sides. "And if you turn it over," Phoebe gently turned the pendant over. "You'll see a picture of your dad. Your _real_ dad, Wayland Cameron."

Phyliss stared at the man in the pendant. He was exactly like she had pictured him, though his features were stronger. He was handsome.

"Mom… it… it's beautiful." She reached out to touch the plastic casing the photo… and was immediately thrown into a vision.

A cold metal object in her hand. Phyliss looked down at it, seeing the pendant that her mother had given her. Another palm reached out beside her own extended hand, a similar pendant sitting on it. Just as Phyliss was about to look up to see who it was, the vision ended.

"Phyl? Phyliss?" The eighteen-year old came crashing back to Earth as Phoebe's voice finally registered.

"Mmm?" Phyliss asked, blinking at her mother.

"Are you okay? You seem spaced out." Phoebe said concernedly.

Phyliss shook her head. "Um, no… I'm okay Mom. I was just… thinking."

_Yeah, thinking. Like what the hell was _that_ all about?_ Phyliss narrowed her eyes. She had to get Hannah.

-

"So you're thinking that someone out there has another like it?" Hannah asked, staring at the pendant, which hung from the necklace on Phyliss's neck. They were strolling downtown at a leisurely place, letting Hannah get a glance of what Ipswich called their 'city'. There wasn't a skyscraper in sight.

"Yeah. I mean, it _looked_ the same. Ugh, tell me why again can't we take a sneak-peek at the Book today?"

"Phyl, I'm telling you, unless you want to risk a ninety-eight percentage of getting busted, you should try it another day. Today's Saturday, _everyone's_ home on Saturday. Family meal, remember?"

"Mmm. How 'bout at night? Don't they all go to P3?" Phyliss brightened.

"Uh-uh. It's an odd weekend, remember? Movie night." Hannah quickly stamped her foot down on her younger cousin's idea.

"Right. We going?" Phyliss asked. Movie night was when all Halliwells – and Mitchells – gathered in the living room of the Halliwell Manor, which had been reconstructed so that it was bigger and able to accommodate all fifteen members of the family.

"Absolutely!" Hannah squealed. "Junior rented this totally cool new horror flick. Should be a blast!"

Phyliss smirked at her cousin's enthusiasm. Hannah's bubbly personality made Phyliss seem like the older one, although she definitely acted more mature than most of her other cousins.

"Want a coffee?" Phyliss asked, spotting a café five shops away. Hannah immediately grimaced; she _hated_ coffee. Phyliss was only asking her because _she_ wanted some.

"Ugh… no thanks." Hannah pulled a face. "Why don't you grab yourself one and I'll just get an ice cold drink from this nice little store here?"

She gestured at the small shop, which Phyliss recognized as a drugstore where Kate and Sarah had taken her to get stuff she needed for her dorm room before she had met up with Hannah. "Okay. I'll meet up with you here. Don't go running anywhere else now." Phyliss had added before she walked down the street.

Hannah shook her head at her paranoid cousin before pushing the door of the drugstore open. She headed straight for the small fridge at the end of the shop, taking a moment to survey her surroundings. An old woman was purchasing medicine at the counter; two young teenage girls were browsing through magazines at the small section dedicated to local prints and a brunette guy was looking through several different brands of chips.

"Water, water, water." She murmured, looking through the different types available, trying to find something familiar.

"I'd go for Evian if I were you." A voice behind her commented.

She narrowed her eyes, not bothering to look back. _Smartass._

She continued to scrutinize the bottles of water, taking her own time. Behind her, she could hear the guy who had suggested Evian earlier tapping his foot against the floor impatiently. She frowned at the choices before her, and then sighed. _Evian, it was._ She turned around to face the smug bastard, then stopped in her tracks.

"You!"

Tyler Simms widened his eyes before turning away, practically running to the counter.

"Hey, wait!" Hannah yelled, running after him.

"Hmm?" He asked, turning around.

"You!" Hannah jabbed him in the chest with her water bottle, marveling once more on how firm his chest was. "You ran away before I could say anything about giving my number!"

"You were hesitating and I had better things to do. Places to go, chicks to see." He retorted.

Hannah narrowed her eyes. "Well you won't be seeing _this_ chick anymore."

She pushed past him. "Hey, look, I'm sorry okay? I just thought you weren't interested." She heard him call after her.

Hiding a smile, she turned back. "Well maybe I would have been if you hadn't run away!"

"Well then maybe if you could have stopped being so uncertain about it, I _would_ have asked you out to hang out at the local grill!"

"Well, maybe if you'd have _tried_ to take charge of it and be a _man_, I would be there having a great time with you!"

Hannah was slightly aware that they were getting closer and closer to each other with each response but all was forgotten in the heat of verbal war.

"Well maybe if you weren't so _petty_, we'd be dancing tonight at seven thirty at Nicky's."

Hannah threw up her hands. "Fine! I'm uncertain _and_ I'm petty." She stalked over to the counter where she thrust two dollars at the pharmacist who had been watching them spar in amusement to cover the price of her Evian. She glared at Tyler as she stalked over to the door. "_And_ I'll be meeting you tonight, at Nicky's, at seven-thirty."

"Yeah, you'd better." Tyler had thrown back as she walked out, not even aware of what he was saying.

It was only when he was paying for his stuff did it hit him; he had a date tonight! A _cute_ date.

-

"What're you all smiley about?" Phyliss asked as she pushed herself off from where she had been leaning outside the drugstore.

Hannah turned to her cousin. "We're going to Nicky's tonight!"


	7. Presage

_**Ascension of the Halliwells**_ by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Presage**

_**- **_

When the both of them arrived at Nicky's they found it absolutely crowded. It seemed that autumn was the best season to go on a road trip before the cold came and everyone was stuck indoors and so the usually less busy bar now contained more customers than a beehive had bees. Nevertheless, a familiar blonde waved them over to a couple of vacant seats and Hannah was happily introduced to Sarah and Kate.

"Hey! I didn't know you'd be here!" Caleb greeted Phyliss cheerfully as he and Pogue returned from playing foosball.

"Neither did I." Phyliss replied, turning evil eyes on Hannah who blinked innocently.

"Yeah, we would have given you a lift." Pogue nodded. He noticed Hannah looking around the bar from her seat next to Phyliss and nodded at her. "Who's this?"

"Um… my uh… _cousin_ from San Francisco, Hannah. I told you guys she'd be coming over to visit."

"I thought you said it was a friend that was visiting." Kate thought aloud, an eyebrow raised.

"What – cousins can't be friends too?" Phyliss defended lightly.

"Point taken."

"So, Hannah… how old are you?" Caleb asked.

"Um… eight weeks past twenty." Hannah focused her attention on the eldest Son of Ipswich. She waved a hand at the drinks stacked on Nicky's shelf. "Definitely not old enough to sneak you guys a drink, if that's what you were hoping."

Everyone at the table smirked. "Didn't even think of it." Caleb responded as he tugged on Sarah's arm, making the blonde stand up. "Well, have fun and uh… as a piece of advice, I think you'd do better to steer clear of that guy over there; he can be a real jerk with girls." He pointed to a curly-haired brunette at the pool table before he led a grinning Sarah off to the dance floor.

Hannah's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the teen playing against the guy Caleb had pointed out to her. "Be right back." She told Phyliss before skipping off to claim her date.

"Is it me or do I see your cousin heading right where Caleb told her _not_ to go?" Kate asked, staring at Hannah's back.

"Ah… Hannah, always the rebel." Phyliss told her distractedly. Her attention had been caught on someone more interesting near the entrance to the back alley of Nicky's.

"Watch her for me, will you?" She asked Pogue who took up Sarah's seat. "I'll just head outside for some fresh air."

"No prob, kiddo." Pogue said, already preoccupied by Kate who was currently placing tender kisses on his neck.

Phyliss rolled her eyes as she turned away. _Yeah, right. In the situation you're in now, I'd have better chances asking Garwin to take care of Hannah._ But she had more urgent matters to take care of now and making sure Hannah would stay away from Aaron could wait. Besides, backup from the Sons was always there when she needed it.

She followed the couple she had been eying from where they had exited the bar. Coming out, she saw nothing; only the fog which pretty much covered everything outside a four feet radius. Then she heard screaming. Running in the direction of the earsplitting cries of fright she finally saw the outline of the couple. The woman was backing away from the man… scratch that; _Darklighter_ as he poised for the kill.

Future Whitelighter maybe, Phyliss wondered about the woman. Darklighters rarely went after humans since there was hardly any point in doing so. _Unless he knew I'm a Halliwell and is only using that poor chick as bait._

The Darklighter was wielding a trademark crossbow, arrows coated with deadly venom and aimed at the woman's neck. Phyliss summoned a fireball and tossed it in the direction of the Darklighter who – surprisingly – dodged it. "I've been waiting for you, _witch_." He sing-songed as he turned in her direction.

_Score one for CSI Halliwell!_ Phyliss mentally cheered. Shouting for the woman to run, she targeted another fireball at him. He dodged it just as easily although the fireball came rather close to his face, illuminating for a few seconds, his features. _Damn, we've got a Tracker-Darklighter on our hands,_ she realized as she registered the tribal tattoos inked across the side of his face.

"Uh-uh… not gonna be _that_ easy." He taunted. He shot an arrow in her direction. Squinting through the thick fog, Phyliss was barely able to see it and only managed to jump out of its way as it pierced through the space where she had been spending just milliseconds ago.

_No shit there._ Phyliss thought desperately. "Who sent you?" She yelled. Darklighters weren't normally so stupid as to assault the Charmed Ones or their descendants, not even Tracker ones unless someone had set them up to it… and given them extra powers to complete the task.

"What makes you think someone sent me?" He shot back. "Things are changing down under, young Halliwell. Best for you not to interfere with the Master's plans."

With that baffling remark, he threw an athame – something new for a Darklighter – and orbed out, leaving Phyliss alone… and wondering. The blade had missed its target, save for slicing her arm but it wasn't deep. As she walked back to Nicky, she started to analyze every word the Darklighter had said, nursing her wound absent-mindedly.

"_What makes you think someone sent me?" _ Did that mean that he had come here of his own accord? Phyliss wondered if it was happening to her family back in San Francisco as well. She remembered the demon attack Hannah had told her about and speculated on whether it had been one of the effects of the change 'down under'. Undoubtedly, the Darklighter had been talking about the Underworld. _"Best for you not to interfere with the Master's plans." _The Master? As in the Source or was it a different leader of evil he had been talking about?

Phyliss recalled the Source when it had been in the form of Cole Turner aka Jessica's dad. Now Cole was nothing but history; a time when the Charmed Ones could look back on but would never hope to be a part of the present or future. Phoebe had Coop now.

Reaching Nicky's, Phyliss took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She didn't realize how long she had been like that, just breathing with her eyes closed, hands hanging limp by her sides and back leaning against the wall.

"Well, well. If it isn't Phyliss Halliwell just _hanging_ around waiting to be picked up."

Phyliss groaned. She knew that voice. "Leave me alone, _Aaron_."

She pushed herself off from the wall and started for the door. A hand grabbed her elbow and she was forced to swing around and face a livid Aaron who wasn't used to being flipped off by girls. Girl did what he wanted. There was no 'but' about it. "Hey, slut! I'm talking to you!"

Phyliss glared at him, eyes almost blazing with same fire she had thrown at the Darklighter. "And I'm not interested in listening." She ripped her arm away from his grasp.

This time when she walked away, she was pulled back by Aaron who had knotted his hand in her hair. Shrieking more in shock than pain, she grabbed the hand that was pulling on her hair and squeezed it tightly, flesh pushed in by her sharp fingernails. Aaron yelled in surprise, letting go and she was able to deliver a kick, which sent sand flying in every direction.

"Argh!" He rubbed his eyes, desperate to get the particles of sand out.

"Bitch!" Pulling back his fist, he lashed out at Phyliss who realized that the blow was unavoidable. She waited for her nose to break, for the blood to start trickling down from her cut lip. None of it came. Opening her eyes, she saw Aaron's hand being stopped in mid-air by yet another hand. When both pulled away from her face, she saw that Reid Garwin had intervened, currently kicking Aaron's ass, which seemed to be a natural talent of his. Phyliss couldn't care less; she only backed off to the wall before slumping to the floor and praying for sleep to take over her body, indifferent as to where she was right now.

"Hey." At first the voice seemed to come from a thousand miles away but as the insistent caller continued to address her, her eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring into Reid's blue irises.

Phyliss whined at being awakened, hoping that he would go away. No such luck. "Hey, you okay?"

"Go away." She moaned.

Reid smirked. "There's ma girl; I think you'll be just fine."

"So…" He dropped next to her. "What happened?"

"Aaron." She whispered, her eyes already closing.

"Yeah, well, it happens. Lucky I was there, huh?" He asked as he noticed the state she was in. "You're either dead drunk or dead beat; you look pretty exhausted there, _kiddo_." He commented. "Hey, what the hell happened to your arm?"

He had just noticed her torn T-shirt, a long-sleeved pink thing. In fact, he realized, he had _never_ seen her wearing anything that didn't cover her arms. It was either a long-sleeved shirt or a jacket. No exceptions even on a sunny day. Maybe she had a kinky tattoo she wanted to hide. Or she could be Amish.

"Mm… I'm tired." Phyliss sighed, ignoring his question.

Reid mumbled something she couldn't hear before she felt him pull her to her feet. Throwing her arm around his shoulder and having his own arm around her injured arm, he led her to the door. Eyes still closed, Phyliss could tell they were back in Nicky's by the way that warmth started to creep back into her skin and how smoke from other people's cigarettes were starting to fill her lungs.

Her feet stumbled every few steps as if she were indeed drunk but Reid would tighten his hold on her arm slightly so that she would wake up to her senses for a few seconds.

It seemed like an eternity before they came to a stop. Phyliss, eyes still closed, realized that Reid was talking to somebody. "Where's Baby Boy?" He seemed to say.

"Out on the dance floor with Hannah. What the hell did you do to Phyliss?" Was that Caleb or was it Pogue?

"It was Abbot, you _prick_! Not me. Who the heck's Hannah?"

"Mmph… cousin." Phyliss managed, before stumbling forward slightly.

"I'll get her." Kate offered, standing up. "Why don't you bring her to the car?"

"Yeah, we'll go with you." Pogue agreed, standing up as well.

Caleb hid a secret smirk as he saw a challenge in Reid's eyes at Pogue's announcement. He knew that Reid knew that Pogue didn't trust him with any girl unaccompanied let alone Phyliss, whom the guy seemed to be protective over. He and Sarah stood as well, already rather fatigued and satisfied with the night.

Reid didn't protest however, just turned around, arm still around Phyliss and started walking her to the main door. As they went along, Caleb noticed that the blonde witch was whispering things into Phyliss's ear. Comforting things like 'It'll be okay.' and 'I'm gonna bring you back to the dorms now, 'kay?'. Caleb scrunched his nose. Since when was _Reid_ so sympathetic? He looked down at his girlfriend and by the smile on her face, knew that she had witnessed it as well and he held her closer, winking as she looked up at him.

-

When Reid saw the blonde coming out of Nicky's with Tyler by her side, he knew that his younger friend had finally scored. By the way her hands twitched at her side, even though the worry for her cousin was evident, he knew that she liked him and that he liked her back because his hands were doing the same thing as if they wanted to hold hands but were too shy to do so.

Tyler started up the car and Reid got in the passenger seat with Phyliss and her cousin in the back seat. Pogue and Kate would get a ride from Caleb's Mustang. Ignoring the warning look Pogue sent him, he urged Tyler to floor it. Occasionally, he would shoot glances at Phyliss who had laid her head on her cousin's lap.

If he had paid attention as to what the two others were doing, he would have realized that Tyler had been looking at Hannah through the mirror, adoration pouring out of his own baby blues every time his eyes fell over her form.

They brought her up to her room where Reid gently placed her on the bed. Tyler sat awkwardly on Nicole's bed as Hannah fetched a cloth and water along with a bandage. Meanwhile Reid had taken up a spot beside Phyliss where he watched the brunette's still form. Pushing back a few stray strands of hair from her face, he observed her. The moment was cut short when Hannah returned with materials. He watched her take off the pink T-shirt and bandage her sliced arm.

At first he had thought that Phyliss really had been some insecure chick from San Fran afraid of her own skin but when Hannah turned her arm, his heart dropped. On the inside of Phyliss's left arm were burn marks. It looked as if the skin had melted and then froze there, making the texture rough. Hannah noticed him looking and hurriedly covered her cousin's upper torso with a blanket.

"Will she be okay?" Tyler piped up from where he sat. He hadn't noticed the scar.

"She'll be fine in the morning." Phyliss nodded. "I think she's just tired." Turning to Reid, she asked how Phyliss had hurt her arm.

"I don't know." Reid replied, still staring at Phyliss. "Aaron was harassing her but I doubt he'd injure her that bad."

Something seemed to have passed through Hannah's eyes but Reid didn't take too much notice of it. Hannah gritted her teeth as she bid goodnight and smiling slightly as she accepted a shy peck on the cheek from Tyler.

-

_**A/N:**_ Remember if you ever want something to appear in this story like a scene you want to see between the characters, tell me a.s.a.p. and I'll try to squeeze it into my story! Please REVIEW!


	8. Phase

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by _**bBsya-aJa**_

**Phase**

-_**  
**_

Tyler couldn't help the goofy smile that curled his lips as Hannah closed the door behind him. She was insanely cute with her dirty-blonde hair and sparkling eyes and he honestly couldn't help falling for her. In a hard way. Cheesy, of course, but nevertheless reality. She'd first caught his attention when they had met at the guys' dorms and then another run-in – though this time, not so literal – at the pharmacist.

And most importantly, she was interested… in _him_.

-

When Phyliss woke up, her head was pounding, her arm was aching and her cousin was far too cheerful even for a Sunday morning. "Coffee?" Hannah asked, handing over a takeaway cup as Phyliss sat up in bed.

"Mmm…" Phyliss sighed as she took a sniff of the strong mixture. "Thanks."

"Take it easy." Hannah patted the younger girl lightly on the shoulder as Phyliss attempted to drown herself in the addictive drink.

"Ugh, I feel _horrible_." Phyliss moaned.

"You should after last night." Hannah told her. "Although I must say, the blonde that brought you back here _was_ pretty good-looking."

Phyliss's forehead crinkled in confusion as she tried to recall last night. "Blue eyes? Loud mouth? Those cute little fingerless gloves?"

Phyliss smirked. "Ahh… the trademarks of Reid Garwin."

"_That's_ the guy you had a vision about?" Hannah asked, her eyes widening.

"The one and only."

"Shit, Phyl. You never told me he was _hot_."

"Hann!" Phyl stared at her cousin who only burst into laughter.

"Kidding!"

"I thought so. You've got Tyler anyway from what I _don't_ remember."

"How'd you know?" Hannah demanded as she blushed. "And it's nothing. Just a… a fling. I mean, in what way is it _actually_ going to work, right? He's rich, one the very few guys I've ever dated who actually _has_ a future… and he's… well…"

"Uh huh." Phyliss snorted, rolling her eyes at the other girl as she threw herself back down on the bed. "I hope you're right about the 'fling' thing, Hann because if he doesn't feel the same way then he's gonna want to see more of ya."

-

Hannah closed the book – one of many - that she had found on the Salem Witch Trials in the library of Magic School. She had been tutoring a fourteen-year-old student who had had to write a report on it for his History class. Maybe someone Up There had steered Kyle Adler in her direction because she sure as hell learned a lot more than the kid about Salem, even if she _was_ the tutor here.

Her cellphone started buzzing in her pocket, startling her. One of things that was fantastic about Magic School was that even though it was a place of _magic_, it did have computers, electricity and reception. _Very unlike Hogwarts_. Hannah mused as she answered the call.

"Hannah Mitchell, how can I help you?"

"You sound like a social worker." The caller teased.

Hannah widened her eyes. "Tyler?"

"Uh yeah… hi." And just like that, Tyler became Tyler again. Unsure yet so resolute. Quiet yet with so many things to say.

"How'd you get my number?" She asked.

"Phyliss gave it to me. Um, listen, Hannah, could we possibly meet again? Tonight?"

"Tyler, it really isn't---"

"Please?"

Hannah sighed. _You know you want to so why don't you just give it to him?_ She asked herself. Just this once. "Okay. I'll see you at the dorms."

"Great. Meet me in the Home Room at seven-thirty. Come hungry." With that not so subtle request, Tyler hung up leaving Hannah to wonder if she had done the right thing in giving in to the inarguably charismatic Tyler Simms.

-

"So where're you taking me?" Hannah asked as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Dinner."

"Yeah, I pretty much figured _that_ out. 'Come hungry'?"

Tyler laughed and Hannah found herself smiling along. He had a great laugh.

"I hope you like Chinese." He stopped the car and turned off the engine. " 'Cuz I was kinda in the mood for sweet and sour."

"Hear, hear."

Dinner was a thoroughly enjoyable affair. Hannah found that besides being able to hold an endless flow of conversation, Tyler was in fact a 1800s gentleman stuck inside the body of a seventeen year old in 2006. Everything he did; it seemed to reflect on how much he wanted to make a good impression on her.

_Mmm… I could _really _like this guy,_ Hannah thought as she rested her chin gently on her fingers, studying the brunette sitting across from her. Presently concentrating on the glass of Coke under his nose, his lips had been rolled in so that the straw was clamped in his mouth. She softly laughed and his eyebrows shot up.

"Mmm?" He let go of the straw and sat back in his chair. "Were you watching me?"

The question was thrown at her so suddenly that she found herself stuttering to deny the accusation as her eyes drifted to her empty bowl and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment under his deliberate stare.

-

Phyliss breathed in the cold night air, glad to be out of her stuffy dorm room. Nicole would be returning around midnight so staying up seemed pointless. It was only nine o' clock and she hadn't much to do. Hannah was out on a date with Tyler; _dinner_, she seemed to say.

"Seems like a CSI Halliwell has finally discovered my secret hide-out." Someone to her off right broke the peace, causing her to turn, startled.

"It's a free country, isn't it?" Phyliss replied, turning back to face the forest. She was sitting on a large boulder a little way away from the dorms. The forest sure was scary but it didn't scare her. Demons, warlocks and the Underworld scared her. Not thick woodlands and nice little towns.

Reid reached into his pocket for a cigarette and a lighter, conveniently lighting up as he stood beside Phyliss. "Not exactly worried about safety, are you?" Reid asked, exhaling smoke.

Phyliss shook her head. "Please don't smoke around me."

When Reid ignored her, Phyliss looked away, finger tapping on the side of her thigh so that Reid couldn't see and effectively extinguishing the little fire. Reid cursed, staring at the butt of the cigarette before dropping it to the ground. He glared at Phyliss as if she had somehow been responsible for it but Phyliss stared straight ahead, innocent.

He gave up, letting out a deep breath. "C'mon, let's get you back to the dorms." He offered her a hand.

Phyliss looked up at the blonde in surprise. "C'mon. What's there to see here? Shooting stars?"

Hesitating for a little longer, Phyliss finally placed her hand in his and he pulled her off the rock. She expected him to release it as soon as she had stood upright, then was surprised when his fingers wrapped around her palm and he swung their arms slowly as they walked back to the dormitory building.

-

"So…" They paused as they reached the small hotel Hannah was 'staying' at. It was hardly a metre away from where Tyler's Hummer was parked in the driveway but Tyler had found it necessary to walk her to the door. "Tonight was…"

"Good." Hannah answered. "Really good. I… I like you, Tyler."

"_Just_ like me?" He teased, half-serious.

Hannah rolled her eyes. "Okay, I _really_ like you." Definitely enough to make up some wild story about me staying in Ipswich at a seedy motel, she added silently. Ugh, Phyliss is going to _kill_ me when she finds out.

"Enough to warrant a second date? And a third. And a fourth." He added, biting down on his lower lip.

"Yes, Tyler. Now shut up and kiss me goodnight."

Tyler looked surprised, then grinned as stepped closer to his date, lips leaning in to capture that sweet first kiss. At first there was only a light brush of the lips, unsure and shy and afraid. Then came the longing for more, which fuelled the kiss for a good five seconds before Hannah gently pushed him away, albeit reluctantly and Tyler was forced to retreat back into his car but not before giving her a peck on the cheek and promising quietly to call her.

Hannah sighed like a lovesick fifteen year old as she leaned against the doors of the hotel. Tyler Simms had better be worth it all the trouble she was going through to ensure that she'd be bale to see him again. Once his Hummer was out of sight and after ensuring that the coast was clear, Hannah quickly orbed back to her room in Magic School where she sank under the sheets, her last thoughts filled with nothing but the youngest Son of Ipswich before she slipped into a sweet, undisturbed slumber.

-

"You really don't _have_ to walk me back to my door, you know, you could have just dropped me off at my level." Phyliss had insisted.

"It's nothing," Reid had waved off her frail attempts to drive him away yet again. It brought her attention for the hundredth time in their ten-minute walk that his hand _still_ hadn't let go of hers and it was beginning to creep her out. What was _wrong_ with him?

"So, here we are. You can go back now. Good—mmmph." She was cut off as Reid bent down and pressed his lips gently against hers.

"Goodnight." He nodded at her as he slowly walked backwards and away from her, towards the stairs, which led to his own floor. When he had turned away from her, Phyliss started to slowly fumble for the keys in her pocket, her other hand flying up to her lips and touching it softly. Had Reid Garwin just _kissed_ her goodnight?

-

Pogue sat up in bed, disturbed by the visions of the girl that had been haunting his dreams for the past two nights now ever since his Ascension. It had been the same thing every night; he would see her so clearly and the same pang of familiarity would hit him before he would wake up and completely forget who she was.

Throwing aside his sheets, he trudged to the bathroom in naught but a skimpy pair of boxers, sweat drenching his perfectly toned body and making it seem like he was modeling for a photo shoot involving nudity and a lot of body grease. Turning on the tap, he started to splash the cool water onto his face before leaning over the sink, heart still pounding at a rapid pace.

Wiping the water from his face, he opened his eyes. And saw water stationary in mid-air, still pouring from the tap. It was like someone had frozen the scene except that he could still move. _It's happening again._ A little voice whispered. Pogue shook his head. Nothing was happening. _Nothing._ He looked up at the mirror and for a split second, was surprised by the intensity of his onyx eyes.

"Just the Power…" He muttered before forcing it down.

His eyes immediately turned back to its original golden brown but it was a few minutes before Pogue could tear himself away from the mirror and collapsed onto his bed again.

-

**_A/N:_**So sorry that I took so long to update! And how do you find Chapter 8? Good? Bad? Awesome? Terrible? It's late and I just finished so be sure to **REVIEW!**


	9. Promise

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Promise**

**- **

Phyliss slammed the door of her locker close, only to be shocked out of her skin by the sight of an almost patient-looking Reid Garwin leaning on the locker next to hers. She yelped, nearly dropping her books before sidestepping the blonde and hurrying past him.

"Phyliss, wait!"

She could hear his footsteps, like echoes of her own, running to catch up with her. _Oh shit, oh no, oh shit, oh no, oh shit…_ "Phyliss!"

Whipping around, Phyliss took a deep breath before plastering on a smile and facing the young Garwin. "Reid."

Now that she had finally acknowledged him, the blonde didn't seem to have much to say as he stared at her. "Uh… um… I… we have English together. Let's go."

He brushed past her and stalked off. Phyliss was once again left confused, standing in an empty hallway and rooted to the spot.

Reid made no contact during class although Phyliss could have sworn she felt a pair of eyes drilling holes into her back though it could have been Aaron or Kira. Besides, a persistent Tyler sitting beside her had been diverting her attention with questions about Hannah.

Phyliss was torn between wanting to humor her friend and grabbing him by the collar and forcing him to accept that Hannah was gone and was now lounging in the Manor on the other side of America. When the bell rang, Phyliss shot out of her seat and ran for the door, startling Tyler who was in the middle of asking his forty-fifth question.

-

"Dude, what's with her today? She seems so… agitated." Tyler commented as he stared at the door.

"I don't know." Reid answered as he climbed down the steps of the stadium-like room. "Maybe she's got a lot of things on her mind."

"Like you?" Tyler retorted.

Reid peered at the brunette curiously. "Now what would make you think I'm distracted?"

"You're not chasing chicks like you use to do. It's been three days, man and I haven't seen Grace, Josephine _or_ Kelly around the dorm." Tyler said, naming Reid's three favourite Spencer girls. They were sluts; no more, no less and always up for a good screwing.

"Yeah, well… maybe it's time to move on to _fresher_ meat." Reid replied mysteriously before leaving the room.

Tyler raised an eyebrow as he proceeded to follow the blonde out. "Gimme a P, a H, a Y-L-I-S-S…" He muttered.

-

Phyliss rubbed her eyes, elbows rooted firmly on the oak table. Papers had been spread you before her, as were books, all open to reveal the French Revolution. "Louis XVI… History?" A voice to her right asked.

Phyliss uncovered her eyes and smiled at Pogue who grinned lopsidedly back. "Yes, actually. Three page essay courtesy of your friend, Reid Garwin who once again manages to antagonize Professor Martin with another one of his ingenious pranks."

Pogue moaned, covering his face with his hands as if to express his disappointment and horror. "I am _so_ glad I picked Earth Science. What did Reid do _now_?"

"Threw paper planes, disrupted class and _oh_, the pen he was trying to hit Aaron with ended up bulls eye in the back of Professor Martin's head."

"Rather unjust, don't you think, to punish the _whole_ class?" Pogue asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeh… I would have said the same thing… if everyone hadn't laughed at her wig falling off right after the pen hit her."

"Aah… I always thought the curls were extensions or something but a whole wig?" Pogue chuckled.

"Right up to the roots." Phyliss nodded, laughing along with Pogue.

When the nervous laughter had stopped and silence fell, Phyliss shifted in her seat so that she was facing him.

"What?" Pogue asked as he noticed Phyliss staring.

"I just realized…" Phyliss started, then shook her head. "Never mind."

"Well, I'd better go. Coach wants us in the pool in thirty minutes. Coming to the swim meet tomorrow?" Pogue asked as he unstraddled his chair.

"Sure; why not?" Phyliss grinned.

"Great. See you there." Pogue winked and walked away, sharing a signature handshake with Reid who had been hovering by a bookshelf. If Pogue seemed surprised that Reid had even known the way to the library, he didn't show it. Phyliss suspected that he had been watching her all along.

"So… Pogue." Reid started as soon as he strutted up to Phyliss's table.

Phyliss put down her pen, propped up an elbow on the table and gazed at the blonde.

"He's… attached."

"I know."

"To Kate."

"That I'm aware of."

"And?" Reid pressed. Though it was obvious how much he was trying to suppress his annoyance and anxiety, it shone through his eyes. Reid Garwin, indifferent and unrepentant playboy, didn't seem too bothered about how easily he was letting Phyliss read him.

"There's nothing wrong with talking to someone, Reid." Phyliss pointed out, stacking up the books she had perused and pushing them to the side. Tucking her pen into a pocket and picking up her notebook, she stood up from the chair and walked away and out of the library.

"Phyliss!" There; second time in a day he was chasing her down an empty hallway.

"Stop harassing me, Garwin." Phyliss called over her shoulder. _Now isn't this _whack She thought. _I'm supposed to protect him but _he's_ the one running after me and I am… running away? _Something was definitely wrong there.

"How come I get the feeling that there's more than just friendship on your mind with Pogue?" Reid demanded as he caught up with her, matching her strides.

Phyliss stopped in her tracks and glared at Reid. "Then maybe your intuition's a little fucked up Garwin, because there is _nothing_ between us."

"Then go out with me." He whispered, grabbing her forearm and forcing her to look at him.

"_What_?"

"Go out with me. I've got something to show you."

From the other end of the corridor, Phyliss could hear footsteps and the giggling of female students probably heading to the library… and in their way. If they saw Reid and Phyliss together… Phyliss shuddered to think that she might end up being tagged as Reid's newest… conquest, for want of a tasteful word, and _by mistake. _Except for witch business, Phyliss Halliwell was not interested in Reid Garwin. Five hours tops and everyone would know that Spencer's prince was chasing the new transfer. The added fact that her physical appearance was nothing compared to Reid's previous girlfriends would only pour salt on the fresh wound.

Reid pushed her into a space between the lockers, his hand covering her mouth. "I'll pick you up at seven-thirty." He whispered into her ear. The footsteps were coming nearer and there was no way in which the girls would _not_ see them. "I'll distract them." Reid pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning away and strolling to his left.

"Good afternoon, ladies." Phyliss couldn't help but smirk at the natural smoothness Reid had when he tried to make an impression on chicks.

There was a cluster of giggles and 'good afternoon's as the female students began to get a real look at him… and liked what they saw. "Where you heading?"

"Silly; where else but the library?" Phyliss cringed at the girl's flirty tone.

"Now why you'd be going somewhere that boring when you can help with the banner that's supposed to hang at the pool? I don't think the Art department's _competent_ enough but with you girls there…"

"Ooh… we'd love to help." _That girl's a goner already._ Phyliss thought, amused at the lovesick voice.

She could hear them move away from her spot and sighed in relief. Peeking around the corner, she breathed again when she saw no one there. Stepping out of her hiding place, Phyliss decided to return to her dorms. She needed to call Hannah.

-

"_Phil, that's great! He asked you out and you'll really get into the inner circle. Maybe he'll even tell you he's a witch!_" Hannah squealed.

"Hann, the only witch that's gonna confess he's one on the _first_ date is a stupid witch. And besides, the witch thing isn't even confirmed. How's the Book going?"

"_I'm working on it later on but I think I'm onto something already. Tutoring Kyle really pays off after all._"

"Whaddya mean?" Phyliss frowned.

"_I think I'm entitled to similar privacy until all the pieces fit. Meaning I'll tell you when I see you._"

"When's that?"

"_Tomorrow at the swim meet._"

"Swim meet? _Spencer's_ swim meet? Hell no, Hannah, you _told_ me you'd break it off with Tyler!"

"_Turns out I couldn't after all. He's just too sweet of a guy to drop, Phyl. Oops, speaking of Tyler, we have a date tonight. Says it's a surprise. Gotta run, bye!_"

Before Phyliss could protest in outrage, Hannah had hung up, leaving the normally civil Phyliss cursing as she snapped her phone shut. "Woah, woah… who trash-talked your momma?" Nicole widened her eyes as she shut the door of their dorm room behind her.

"What? Oh no… just my cousin. She um… raided my closet back home in San Francisco."

Nicole nodded understandingly. "Happens to me too. Wanna come with me and Kari to Nicky's later on?"

Phyliss shook her head. "Nah, I've got something planned."

"Date?"

Phyliss nodded.

"With?"

"Reid Garwin."

There was a pause as Nicole stared at Phyliss as if expecting her to burst out laughing. When she didn't, Nicole only squared her shoulders and warned Phyliss, "Don't let Kari find out or she'll go berserk." before slipping under the sheets in her bed.

-

Phyliss sat in lotus position on her bed, hugging her pillow and watching the tiny alarm clock on her table. She didn't know why she was so nervous about the date. She had been on dates… occasionally. With guys that looked less than half good-looking as Reid was. She had changed her outfit at least a half dozen times but finally settled for jeans and a simple tank top and jacket. What was the big deal anyway? She was only dating one of Spencer's most eligible bachelors and nothing to feel anxious about. _Yeah… yeah right._ She rolled her eyes.

The second hand seemed to tick louder suddenly as it approached 12. Phyliss stared at it as if willing it to stop. Times like these made her wish she had her Aunt Piper's powers.

_55…_

What if he didn't come?

_56…_

What if he had been joking? Playing with her?

_57…_

Worse still, what if he was _serious_?

_58…_

_59…_

Oh God… Phyliss clutched at her pillow.

_60…_

The seconds that passed after that seemed to last forever. Phyliss broke out into fits of giggles, laughing at the silliness of the entire thing. Reid wasn't going to come. How could she have expected him to come?

"Girl, you okay?" Nicole asked as she stepped out of the small washroom, wrapped in a towel.

Phyliss nodded eagerly. She'd go to Nicky's with Nicole and Kari and she'd have a great time…

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Phyliss froze halfway out of bed. Nicole raised an eye at her friend before moving to get the door. Whining – because somehow her lips had suddenly been glued together – in alarm, she stopped her roommate and hurriedly made sure that she was ready before nodding at Nicole.

As she threw open the door, Nicole plastered on a look of annoyance as if she resented being disturbed at seven-thirty in the evening. Over Nicole's shoulder, Phyliss could see Reid's face twist at her roommate's attire – or lack of – before his eyes traveled over to meet Phyliss who immediately cast her own eyes to the ground.

Before Phyliss could pass Nicole however, the blonde had slapped an arm over the doorframe, barring her from Reid. "She comes back in tears, I'll snap your pretty little neck, white boy."

Phyliss ducked under Nicole's arm, grabbed Reid's and hurriedly led him away before he could think of some witty comeback that would be _sure_ to result in him having a broken neck, crying Phyliss or not.

"White boy?" Reid frowned in distaste as soon as they reached the staircase. "Who does she think _she_ is?!"

"She's half black, Reid." Phyliss defended as they descended the six flights of stairs. "So… where are you taking me?"

Reid grinned. "It's a surprise."

Phyliss stared at him unenthusiastically. "Not exactly in the mood for one."

"Aww… c'mon. I even bought a new car to impress you with." Reid tugged her by the arm and they both trotted outside to the dormitory's car park.

"You… what?!"

"Behold - the Infiniti." He spread his arms wide as he led her

"And beyond!" Phyliss quipped, staring at the vehicle before her. It certainly wasn't something she had expected Reid to buy. She glanced the blonde and her stomach dropped. Reid looked hurt. She hadn't seen it before; that expression which caused her heart to open wide and melt into a puddle.

"Reid…" She stepped closer to him, a hand hovering over his arm. She didn't dare touch him; they weren't _that_ personal. "I like it."

Turning to look at her, Reid gave her a small smile. He reached into his pocket for the keys and pulling open the passenger door, he reached into the car and pulled out a black scarf. Looking down at it hesitantly before looking back at her, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Widening her eyes, Phyliss's immediate reply was a continuous shake of the head that didn't stop until Reid placed his hands on the sides of her head. "Well, you're with me now. No choice." Gently placing the scarf over her eyes, he started wrapping it around her head.

Phyliss tapped her foot fretfully. Now all she had were her four remaining senses. And they were pretty much useless when she was up against Garwin. When she felt the knot being tightened, she knew he had finished with the blindfold. What was he going to do next? There was no sound, no rustle of movement, only his steady breathing which told her he was there.

-

Reid sighed as his hands fell away from the sides of her head. He stared at the blindfolded girl. Observed every twitch of muscle. How her teeth bit nervously on her bottom lip. Boy, did he want to kiss those lips. His hand reached up to touch her cheek but he stopped himself in time. He wanted things to go slow before he completely scared her off. Their relationship hadn't much of a base but Reid was confident of building an understanding between them.

"Reid?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm gonna open the door. Slowly now…" He held her hand and seated her carefully in the passenger seat before dashing over to fill the driver's seat.

"Ready?"

"If I said no, would you have stopped?" Phyliss asked.

Reid laughed. "Now that I've finally gotten you in the car? Not a chance."

-

"Reid, where are we going?" Phyliss could feel herself stumbling along tree trunks and roots. She was pretty sure they were in the forest but Ipswich had eighteen of those.

"You'll see." Reid held her hand firmly as he led her who-knew-where.

Finally he told her to stop and started to pull the scarf away from her eyes. "Open your eyes." Reid whispered.

Complying, Phyliss found herself standing on a bridge, newly made. The forest around them had apparently been cleared to make a park. Already, Phyliss could see gazebos being built with the same sturdy wood that she was standing on.

Phyliss looked at him. "Well?"

Reid cleared his throat loudly suddenly, small coloured light bulbs, which she hadn't noticed had been lining the railing, flickered to life. Phyliss gasped, her jaw dropping somewhere below her knees. The lights were everywhere; the bridge, the trees, the gazebos… the _gazebos_. The lake was brilliant with the fluorescent lighting coming from the gazebos.

"Secret Hideout Number 2." Reid smirked.

-

Hannah giggled as she watched Tyler try to shoot little basketballs through the hoop behind the counter. Going out tonight had been a great idea after all. He had picked her up from the hotel before driving over to Salem where there had been a night fair with all sorts of games and candy; enough to trick her into thinking she was six again.

"Um, here." Tyler handed her a bear he had won from the game.

"Thank you." Hannah hugged it with her left arm while her right arm clutched the cone of cotton candy she had been nibbling on.

"So… having fun?"

"Actually, yeah. I haven't been to a fair in nearly a decade, Tyler… thanks for bringing me out here tonight." Hannah smiled as she chucked the empty cone.

"Sure. That's what friends do, right?"

Hannah paused and Tyler stopped with her. "_Just_ friends?" She asked, very like the time when _he_ had been the one to ask her if she had only just liked him.

"Well, yeah… I mean, no… I mean…" But by that time, her lips had already found his, compelling him to make a quick decision. "No… not _just_ friends." He smiled down at her before closing the distance between them for the second time.

-

"So… this place. How'd you find it?"

"When I was sixteen, I loved to explore Ipswich." Reid glanced at the girl sitting beside him. "That was in the good ol' days when I still had my first car before it got trashed by a… never mind. Anyway, this place is one of the few haunts I have left, which remains undisturbed by others. You've already seen the other one that night."

He was referring to the night when he had kissed her, Phyliss knew. "But why, Reid? Why hide here when you've got an amazing life with amazing friends out there?"

Reid snorted. "My _friends_. If we didn't have to be, we wouldn't." At Phyliss's confused look, he shook his head. "Never mind." He sighed and for a few seconds, there was a comfortable silence.

"So now you know about my favourite hide-out. What am I supposed to do with you?"

Phyliss grinned at him.

"Well, to be cliché, you'd have to kill me."

"Mmm… tempting but I'll have to think about it."

"So is being an asshole in History class something you picked up or were you just born that way?"

"Well as it so happens, I happen to have an intense dislike for that woman." Reid said seriously.

"How come?"

"Phyl, Professor Martin's got it in for me before I'd even _spoken_ in her class. And besides that three page essay I have the responsibility of coaching a girl in History, which for some reason I am excellent at."

"Ooh… a _girl_." Phyliss smirked. "That'll be pie, eh Garwin?"

"Not if it's Kari."

Phyliss shook her head sympathetically. "Ahh, good luck with that."

They shared another moment, eyes locked before Phyliss broke the stillness. "This is nice, Reid."

"What is?"

"Just talking. Getting to know you without having to be afraid someone's gonna see us talking."

"You're actually scared of that?" Reid asked. He sounded surprised.

"Yeh; peer pressure terrifies me. Especially in a place like this."

"Well, you don't _have_ to be scared of the other students, ya know. There'll always be Sarah and Kate… and me."

"Reid, you're not getting it. Being close to _you_ guys scares me. It's okay for you 'cuz you're the rich, popular kid who's spent his whole life in Ipswich. But I'm a _transfer_ student; a _scholarship_. No other way for me to survive than to tiptoe around people like Aaron."

Reid listened with a sympathetic ear and when she had finished, he stood up, brushing off dirt from his denim jeans. "C'mon." He offered her a hand.

Phyliss peered at him curiously.

"We have a class test tomorrow. I wouldn't want you failing and blaming me for ruining your future."

Phyliss nodded at him gratefully and accepted his hand.

-

Hannah laughed. And laughed. And laughed. She couldn't help it; everything seemed so funny and she was on a _high_… a sugar rush maximized ten fold. The source of it all stood beside her, arm around her waist, head thrown back casually to watch the night sky. "What's so funny?" He asked her amusedly.

"Nothing." At Tyler's blatant disbelief, she laughed again.

"I think you'd better tell me or I'll use my psychic powers on you." Tyler half-joked.

"And I think I'll chance it." Hannah replied, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Tyler sighed, wrapping his arms around her slender waist, his fingers playing with the tips of her hair as he deepened the kiss. As he closed his eyes, he could feel the Power arising within him at his command. His orbs turned black under his eyelids as the Power started to guide him through Hannah's thoughts. It was trespassing, for sure but he _had_ to know.

When he was sure that it was safe, he broke the kiss and opened his eyes. "Got anything, psychic?"

"Yeah." Tyler replied mysteriously as he walked ahead, pulling Hannah by her fingers. He turned to look at her. "And for the record, you're not half bad yourself… if you know what I mean." Giving his girlfriend a suggestive once-over and a wink, he strutted off to find his car.

-

Phyliss peeked at the boy sitting in the driver's seat. His arm rested casually below the window, his other hand lazily steering the wheel. His eyes seemed fixed on the road but she had felt the secret glances; much like the ones she was sending him now. She had pretended to fall asleep and he had bought it.

She had never seen this side of Reid Garwin before. So relaxed; so at peace with the world. Not the foul mouth he usually was, spitting curses and profanities in every direction, playing cruel pranks on teachers and fellow schoolmates alike. Not shamelessly chasing everything in a skirt. She wondered for a split second if it was that was the reality of Reid Garwin. _Oh God, if it is, I'll swear to protect him from Chase, witch or not._

It was a vow not to be broken, Phyliss knew. She didn't intend to.

-

_**A/N:**_ Whew… this must be my longest chapter yet so I hope it gets comments on the unusual way I am portraying Reid and Tyler. Well, unusual if you've stereotyped the boys exactly on how they behave in the movie anyway. I don't think that's all there is to the two of them; that their characters are _that_ shallow. I like to think there's more to Reid and Tyler and it is my pleasure to explore that assumption. By the way, an Album has been set up on my Homepage so if you are ever interested to find out what my OCs look like, feel free to head to my Profile and check out my Homepage:)


	10. Palpitation

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Palpitation**

-

Phyliss jumped as a small piece of folded paper dropped down onto her desk. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up again as she sensed a pair of eyes staring at her. Smiling softly, she picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it, cautiously peeking at the teacher to make sure he hadn't noticed.

Hey, you asleep yet? This dude sucks big time. Might as well waste this precious hour with me. 

Phyliss smirked. Typical Reid. She picked up a pen and started writing. **Hah. You wish. Unlike you, I **_**am**_** planning to get a really good grade in Chemistry. If you don't mind…**

She folded it back into a minute little ball before casually reaching up. His fingertips brushed against hers as he took it back. She heard him unfolding it and reading her message. There was a furious scribbling before the piece of paper was thrown back down at her.

Yeah, yeah… CSI, I haven't forgotten. Coming to the swim meet this afternoon? 

**Give me one good reason to.**

As Phyliss handed it back to him, her insides suddenly felt fluttery. Reid had _remembered_. That simple fact made her heart warm and her cheeks to suddenly flush. No one had remembered such random facts about her before. She felt a movement behind her and all of a sudden, she could feel Reid's breath on the back of her neck.

"I'll make it _very_ worth your while." He whispered suggestively before leaning back in his seat.

Phyliss must have blushed three shades of red – and noticeably too – for the Chemistry teacher addressed her on the abnormal tinge in her cheeks, to which half the class snickered at. When the bell rang, she gratefully picked up her books and hurried out of the classroom, away from her accursed classmates.

"I'll see you at four!" Phyliss thought she heard Reid shouting but she had practically been running for her life by that time.

Four o'clock came frighteningly fast and Phyliss found her feet leading her towards the indoor pool where from ten feet away, she could already hear the screaming of obsessed fan girls. When she had rounded the corner, her eyes widened at the packs of humans, all trying to push past the guard to get into the indoor pool. Apparently, only _certain_ people were allowed entrance; mainly the cheerleaders, family and teachers.

"Forget it." She muttered before turning away… to bump into Hannah.

"Oh my goddess!" Hannah yelled in surprise before lifting her eyes to check out who had so ungraciously crashed into her. "_Phyl_!"

"Hey." Phyliss greeted her cousin with a hug. "Here for the swim meet? Sorry, cuz, but the only way you're gonna get through _that_ swarm," She nodded her head at the ever persistent screaming femmes. "Is with a chainsaw. Why don't we grab a coffee instead?"

"Uh… no thanks. Tyler gave me _these_ last night." She waved around a pair of passes. "Since his mom's out of the country and his dad's sick, he had an extra. Didn't Reid give you one?"

Phyliss shook her head, slightly disappointed. "No."

Suddenly a brown-haired boy leaped through the throng from the inside of the indoor pool room and ran in their direction. Thinking that he would run past them, Phyliss tried to give way but instead, the boy whom she came to recognize as Nick Daley stopped in front of them, slightly out of breath.

"Phyliss Halliwell right?" He asked.

Phyliss nodded.

"And you must be that girl… Hannah Michaels." He scowled as he tried to remember.

"Mitchell." Hannah corrected. "How do you know…"

"Oh, the guys wanted to make sure that you got in alright." Nick explained.

"Reid?" Phyliss asked hopefully.

Nick's forehead creased. "Noooo… Pogue and Tyler."

"Oh." Maybe Reid hadn't known that entry was only permitted to selected few. _Yeah… riiight._

Nick led them in and left them by the benches while he warmed up in the pool. As a reserve, Coach Botham had ordered him to loosen up with the rest of the swim team just in case there was a sudden mishap. The boys came in seconds later just as Phyliss and Hannah spotted Kate and Sarah. The two girls greeted their boyfriends enthusiastically while Hannah, Phyliss, Tyler and Reid hung back almost shyly.

While Tyler and Hannah continued to make eyes at each other – _as if they had never made out before­_, Phyliss thought, rolling her eyes – Phyliss did everything possible to avoid looking at Reid who seemed confused and oblivious to why she was acting this way.

"So, you made it." He said as a means to break the ice.

"No thanks to you." Phyliss replied before turning away to seat herself on one of the benches.

Reid stepped towards her.

"Is something wr---"

"PHHWEEEEEEEEEET!!"

Coach Botham had blown his whistle, calling all participating Spencer swimmers. Looking one last time at an indifferent Phyliss, Reid sighed before turning away. Tyler managed a small smile before following the blonde. Kate and Sarah gave their boyfriends a last good luck kiss before reluctantly letting them go.

"Good luck." Phyliss muttered as she settled back onto the bench. "So, you gonna hit me with everything you have or shall we wait another decade or so? Let you and Tyler have a few kids running around before we actually find out if they're---"

"Okay, okay, I get the point!" Hannah hissed, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm sorry for being so secretive, okay; I just had to make sure."

"And the verdict is…" Phyliss asked, literally holding her breath.

"Positive." Hannah confirmed, looking around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. "They're the descendants of witches who fled from England in the 1800s and came to America. Their ancestors _founded_ Ipswich, thus the nickname."

"Sons of Ipswich." Phyliss whispered.

"Yep. Now check this out. Their powers: the ability to do _anything _and _everything_."

"As in destroy-the-world-conjure-energy-balls-and-juggle-plates-on-their-heads-all-at-the-same-time kind of everything."

"Affirmative." Hannah nodded. "But. At a price."

"Sign a contract with the Source? Sacrifice three humans a year?"

"Phyliss, will you _please_ let me tell the story without you interrupting me every five seconds?"

"Sorry. Go on."

"They age." Hannah stated simply, before elucidating on it further. "For every second that the Use, or more specifically on _how_ they Use… they will age prematurely. Like thirty-year old Caleb might look seventy-five if he whips out his zapping finger for every little thing. Ooh, look they're starting!"

Phyliss glanced at the pool where the freestyle swimmers had taken their positions. She returned to the conversation. "But that's bad, right? I mean what witch would use his powers - besides for self-defence - if he knows it's gonna affect him that bad?"

"I'm not sure about that although there were mentions that the Elders cursed the Covenant of Ipswich something terrible."

"The _Elders_? As in _our_ Elders?" Phyliss echoed disbelievingly.

"Are there any more that I'm not aware of?" Hannah asked, half-seriously.

Phyliss didn't pay much attention to the swim meet after that. Why did the Elders curse the Sons? What had the Covenant done that had angered them so? One person could tell her; Uncle Leo. She would have to swear him to secrecy; that was, if Aunt Piper hadn't already told him.

"Phyl!" Hannah nudged the younger girl in the ribs, then nodded at the pool. "Reid's up."

Phyliss glanced at the waters. Coincidentally, Reid had been looking at her and the moment their eyes connected, Phyliss felt a strange wave pass through her. _Wish me luck…_ She could hear a whisper of Reid's voice. Had he just Used? On her? For once, Phyliss contemplated the possibility that Reid might read her mind – and find out what she really was.

She stared at the blonde as he lowered his goggles onto his eyes. Clutching the grips on the start block, he seemed to be staring in her direction. Then the whistle was blown and off he went. Compared to the other swimmers, Reid was… _spectacular_. There was no denying that he was definitely a stronger swimmer than the others and when he finally completed his 50 meters, the rest were left gasping after him.

Phyliss couldn't help but wonder if he had cheated; if he had beaten the rest because of the supernatural advantage he possessed. So when the winners were being announced and the surrounding spectators went hysterical, she crept out unnoticed and away from the tumult.

-

Reid grinned as he stood at the edge of the pool with the other Spencer swimmers. The judges had granted them two points more than that of what was given to the Salem Sharks. The medal hanging around his neck was starting to get heavy but he didn't mind. Cameras were flashing everywhere and local newspaper reporters were fighting to get to him; Reid's 'celebrity' status had just upped a few notches.

But…

Where was she? The person who really mattered at the moment. She definitely wasn't here. "Hannah." He trotted over to the blonde, who turned at the sound of her name. "Where's Phyliss?"

Hannah looked about her. "I think she left." Her words were slow and deliberate and her mind seemed to drift away as she spoke.

Growling in frustration, Reid headed for the changing rooms. "Reid, where you going man?" Pogue hissed as the younger witch pushed past him. Reid didn't answer, merely shook his head and continued on his way.

Running a towel through his wet hair, he threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts and headed outside. Jogging through the doors of the Academy, Reid paused for a moment. Phyliss was mad at him. He didn't know why but it had seemed that way. He took a deep breath. Where was she?

-

Meanwhile, safe in his hideout in the Underworld, Chase Collins watched satisfactorily at his prey from the seeing bowl that one of the thousand minions he now owned had provided him with. For he was the Master; the new Source of All Evil, equipped with the Power he had had as a mere warlock and now… virtually invincible.

How small he had thought then, he mused. To have been satisfied with the deaths of the Sons of Ipswich. With his new powers, he could create portals to other dimensions where he could conquer but first he had to finish up what he had started in Ipswich. Chase hated leaving loose ends to fly in the wind. And his brothers were loose ends. Time to cut them off. Reid's Ascension was in a few weeks; he still had time to get them, and maybe bag a Halliwell or two.

But first, he had to ensure the continuation of his bloodline. In the unlikely event that he should fail… the Putnam line would be continued.

-

"Hey." Reid slid onto the boulder beside the brunette, not caring much for her personal space. Phyliss didn't turn a hair. "What're ya doing here?" He tried again.

Again, silence.

Reid sighed. "Listen, if I did something wrong then the least you could do was tell me."

"You were great today, Reid." Phyliss cut in. She looked at him. "Really good."

"Thanks."

"I mean, they say that the Salem Sharks were really getting ahead of you but since you excelled in---"

"--- Is this really what you wanna talk about, Phyl?" Reid interrupted.

Phyliss frowned slightly. "Well, yeah. You won, Reid. Should there be anything else?"

Reid tried to bite back his words but it all came spilling out before he could stop himself. "Hell YEAH there is! What about you? You just walked out without telling me; did you know how worried I was? And… and… the way you ignore everything, especially when I try to… try to…" Reid faltered. Try to _what_? Admit that how he felt about her even he didn't know? That the way she made him feel had been different than what he had with other girls? Chasing after the other girls, he had been confident; an arrogant little prince who got his way with them.

Around her… he was hesitant. Winning her wasn't a sure thing like it had been with the others. The others had meant _nothing_ to him. Reid felt ashamed for a whole two seconds; ashamed of the fact that despite he had deflowered at least a quarter of the girls he had screwed, he felt no remorse in taking away that innocent part of them. What the hell anyway; they had all been willing and besides, who dressed up _that_ slutty if they hadn't wanted it?

"Try to…" Phyliss prompted.

Reid sighed again. Phyliss bit down on her lower lip, head slowly nodding as if she understood. Silently, she stood up but she hadn't taken two steps when Reid grabbed her.

Cupping her face in his hands, he swiftly pressed his lips to hers. The lack of response frustrated him and he pulled away to look at her. Phyliss stared at him, eyes wide and probably shell-shocked. "You stopped." She whispered.

"Shouldn't I have?" He grinned before pulling her against him once again.

This time, her lips moved with his and for a few seconds, it seemed that he was on a roller-coaster, dropping down from a height of fifty meters in the space of five seconds; so extraordinary was the effect of this kiss. Then Phyliss pulled away and when she did, her gaze were lowered. "Hey." Reid placed a finger under her chin, gently pushing it up so that his eyes met hers.

Now that he could see her eyes, he noticed that they were a little wet as if she was forcing back tears. "What's wrong?"

But Phyliss shook her head. After all that she had encountered – she had come to Ipswich, all the way across America from her beloved San Francisco to save a guy she barely knew from a witch who had yet to make an appearance; she had been attacked by a Tracker Darklighter who seemed to have come as a warning; she had been attacked by a strange force on her eighteenth birthday which so far didn't seem to have any effects on her which was definitely a good thing although her concerned family had tried asking Elders, all of whom were very tight-lipped about it – it didn't seem realistic for her to suddenly kiss said guy she had come to save and feel so strongly about it.

And yet there it was.

To Hell with the fact that he was a witch; that his _friends_ were witches. They still hadn't been able to protect him from Chase from what she saw. And if Phyliss Halliwell couldn't save him, then he would die. She knew that for sure.

-

_**A/N:**_ Whew! So glad to get this chapter out of my system. And I realized that it's Chapter 10 and I am rather behind schedule on the plot. Next chapter will be focusing more on Pogue and maybe a little on the new couple. Cheers for all my reviewers and I hope you will comment this one! ;)

P.S.: Character concepts have been uploaded to my homepage on my profile so take a moment to view them if you can't picture my OCs in your head.


	11. Pendulum

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Pendulum**

-

**9 March 1994**

Rain poured down over Ipswich, Massachusetts, accompanied by frequent heart-stopping explosions of thunder and bright flashes of lightning. It was a dark night, far darker than those any of the townspeople had ever seen. Wayne Parry hurried his son into the house, immediately grabbing the towel that the butler at the door offered and rubbing Pogue's hair furiously with it before draping the cloth across the poor boy's shoulders.

Seven-year-old Pogue trembled like an earthquake as he tried to stop his teeth from chattering. He wished he had taken up his mother's advice and brought along a jacket but he had been so enthusiastic about the motocross race that he had dragged his father out of the house and arrived there two hours earlier. It had seemed like a warm afternoon then. The engines from the bikes and the adrenaline pulsing through his veins as he waited for the race to start had kept him warm.

"Oh Christ, Pogue; I _did_ tell you to bring a jacket!" Jessica Parry had exclaimed when she saw the state her little boy was in.

"Sorry Mum." Pogue had mumbled. He was immediately wrapped up in warm blankets by maids who had been called in by the butler. Pogue looked about him. So many people were making a fuss over him; about how he was going to fall sick eventually due to his persistent defiance against Nature, about how the Manor wasn't going to be the same if he was sick in bed – no familiar little sounds of skipping footsteps in the morning when he ran around the house, searching for the family dog to play with. Could anything else be missing from his perfect, perfect life? People cared about him, loved him. He had family. What else could he have wished for?

29 April 2000 

Pogue sat at the huge dining table, chin resting upon his crossed arms. It was the day before his 13th birthday. The house was quiet; a wretched reflection of what had once been a _home_, lively and welcoming. Mother was ill and Father was away on business. He wouldn't even make it back by tomorrow. No, the ones to witness him receiving his small portion of Power would be the butler and Mr. Twoberry.

"Sir?" Pogue looked up.

Paul, the family butler, beamed kindly at him. "What is the matter?" He asked gently.

"It's… just… Dad's not here and tomorrow…"

"Pogue…" The butler hesitated for a second as if instantly regretting his choice to speak. "Your father loves you. He just cannot bear to see you walk down the same road that he did – _and_ having to choose the right paths."

Pogue shrugged. "The least he could do was be here for me. I bet if I had a brother… or a sister, they'd be here with me in a second."

Paul was silent. "Yes, I expect they would. You know…" He paused, yet again, this time not bothering to complete his sentence. "Just don't fret over it too much, young master." He patted Pogue lightly on the shoulder before moving on to his daily duties.

-

Pogue sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. There was something special about today although he couldn't quite recall what it was. The twenty-second day of May… his mother's death anniversary. Four years to the day she had died. His father, yet again, had not been in Ipswich at the time. He had been in Europe, closing some stupid deal with another one of his high-end clients. Damn the man.

He got out of bed, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. Still early. He didn't have practice or an extra lesson today so there would be time to stop by the Black Raven's and visit his mom. Stepping into the shower, he ignored the sudden flow of water, despite the fact that his hand had not so much as touched the tap. He had told Caleb who had told Gorman who had assured Pogue that it was nothing to worry about. After-effects of his Ascension, Caleb had relayed the message.

Pogue didn't think so. It had been almost a month and it didn't seem to show any signs of stopping. Pogue was starting to worry that it would take a toll on his aging but so far, there hadn't been any apparent side-effects which was good news for him; he wouldn't be buying hair dye any time soon unlike Caleb who occasionally had to get a bottle of it every now and then. The power would manifest itself so suddenly that Pogue had absolutely no control over it. He had kept his emotions in check as Caleb had advised and watched every step he took in public.

In fact it was beginning to get ridiculous. He was getting stiff from having to make sure that he didn't _accidentally_ expose himself.

-

Reid snickered as he watched Baby Boy trying to speak into the phone without being overheard. From the blush in Tyler's cheeks it was probably something that the whole table wouldn't want to hear at lunchtime anyway. Nevertheless, ignoring the chicken sandwich set before him, he pricked up his ears.

"Yeah, I'll see you later babe." Tyler nodded before ending the call and snapping his phone shut. Glaring suspiciously at an innocently whistling Reid, he started on his lunch, taking small bites.

"So… you and Hannah seem to be getting along good." Caleb commented.

"Yeah, we are." Tyler replied slowly.

"She still living at the hotel?" Kate wondered.

"Mmm… about that." Tyler placed his sandwich back on the plate. "I've been thinking… about moving back to the house and asking Hannah to come with me."

Everyone at the table froze. "But Tyler…" Reid started but Caleb interrupted him.

"Congratulations, Ty." Caleb grinned. "I'm sure your Mom and Kari especially would be happy that you'll be bringing a girl home."

"To stay?" Reid burst.

Everyone stared at the blonde. Reid fumed, rising from his seat before taking off. Caleb, excusing himself, followed the hot-tempered boy.

"Reid, wait up!" Caleb jogged to catch up with him. "What the hell's the matter with you?"

"Nothing." Reid muttered, brushing the older boy off.

"Then why'd you blow up like that? I thought of all people, Reid, _you_ should be the one supporting him. After all, he did the same for you. So what if he's moving back to the house – he'll still be coming to school."

"Yeah, but what about me?" Reid shot back. "On the last year at Spencer, I lose my roommate. The year before we all get separated. Jeez, Caleb - the chick lives in San Francisco! What if Tyler decides not to come back at all huh? And _exposure_, Caleb. You can't seriously be telling me that letting her have free roam of the Simms Mansion doesn't jeopardize our chances of being exposed."

Caleb was quiet. "Reid, everyone deserves a chance to choose their future, their own paths. If Tyler doesn't want to come back here, nobody can force him. I let Sarah know and so did Pogue with Kate. They turned out fine. Time to let Baby Boy go and grow up, Reid."

At this, he turned away and walked back to the canteen.

-

Pogue switched off the engine and pocketed the keys to his Ducati before opening the door of the Black Raven. The Raven was a magic shop; a little store that sold unique and sometimes antique bits and pieces that possessed certain mystique about them, claiming to come from some foreign land where black magic and the dark arts were abound.

Stepping into the shop, Pogue had to squint for a while before his eyes got used to the darkness. His mother frequented the shop, being a devoted Wiccan, and had sometimes brought Pogue along. He had found the place intriguing as a child, often begging to be taken along. Now he found it downright sinister. Jars of who-knew-what were stacked on shelves near the walls, labels bearing words he could not see marking them.

He found his way to the counter where the owner's daughter, Aqua, sat, chatting with another girl. "Pogue." Aqua grinned when she spotted him.

The Other Girl immediately whipped around and Pogue registered the shock on her face before he actually recognized her. "Phyliss?" He blurted.

"Pogue!" She sounded surprised – a little shocked – but nothing else betrayed her expression. "What're you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same thing." Pogue replied ignoring the chaos Aqua made behind the counter as she tried searching for Pogue's annual purchase.

"I'm just… you know, acquainting myself with my fellow Wiccans." Phyliss waved a hand at Aqua who grinned at him.

"And she knows a lot about 'em too." Aqua gushed. "Phyliss has been saying about how she actually managed to chat up a spirit during Samhain."

"Really?" Pogue asked, his voice lightly skeptical. He turned to Phyliss. "I didn't know you were Wiccan."

"I might have told you the same thing." Phyliss retorted defensively.

Pogue leaned against the counter. "So… you really… _talked_ to a spirit before?"

Phyliss blinked. "We… made contact." She agreed, choosing her words a tad more careful than Pogue would have liked.

"There you are!" Aqua cried, holding up a bunch of dried flowers held together by a paper bag.

"What are those for?" She inquired.

"Uh… I'm visiting my mom's grave today." He held up the paper bag. "She used to love these when she was still alive."

_His mom must really be into this magic stuff._ Phyliss thought, recognizing a few charms that had been twisted into the stem of the dried flowers.

Holding the bag gently in his hands, Pogue inspected the trinkets that were displayed beside the counter. A tag sitting at the very center of the glass case told him that the objects inside were either extremely valuable or not for sale. "What's this then?" He asked tapping on the glass case, his eyes never leaving the object he was asking about.

"A pocketwatch, once owned by a Prince of Wallachia. In fact, he was the son of Vlad the Impaler." Sam, the owner of the shop and a friend of his mother's, stepped out from the back room behind the counter and eyed Phyliss suspiciously.

When Pogue's expression remained perplexed, Sam rolled his eyes. "Dracula."

"Oh." Pogue's attention shifted to another artifact beside the pocketwatch. "And this is?"

Sam frowned, squinting at the object in question. "Ahh, now that's not for sale, especially not to you, young Master Parry."

Pogue raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Sam hesitated before leaning in, as if about to share some great secret. "Your mother brought this in… two weeks before she died. Pale and sickly she was. She gave it to me, making me swear on me mother that I would never sell it to anyone. As for the reason… I don't know. She never told me."

Phyliss who had been studying a jar full of eye-of-newts stared at the three people huddled around the glass case and gazing at something.

"It _is_ lovely." Aqua commented.

"All works of gnomes are." Sam nodded.

"Gnomes?" Pogue sounded highly amused.

"Yes. Look at the design on the pendant. Now usually, lockets like these would have another part to them, two of a kind, especially since the back of it's hollow."

"Hollow?"

"Yeah, y'know. Except for this little frame to put someone's photograph in o'course."

Walking slowly and quietly over to the small group, Phyliss tiptoed to get a peek at the object over Pogue's shoulder and sucked in air in between cleched teeth when she realized what it was. Pogue turned his head.

"Phyliss?"

Phyliss didn't answer. How could it be? How could it be that there was another part to the pendant? She touched a spot on her chest. Under her blouse was the necklace her mother had given her. Only she had never told her that there was another like it. What had Sam said? _Two of a kind_… The words echoed in her mind endlessly.

"Phyliss!" Pogue's raised voice brought her back to the dark little shop. His concerned hazel eyes became the only thing in Phyliss's focus.

"I'm fine, Pogue. Just zoned out for a minute there."

"You want a ride home?" He asked.

Phyliss nodded. "I'd appreciate that." Of course, she hadn't actually remembered that Pogue didn't own anything with four-wheels.

"Sam… do you mind if I have that necklace back? If it belonged to my mother, I really want it."

"Well… I dunno, Pogue." Sam said tentatively. "Your mother _did_ specify that nobody was to own this necklace."

"Please." Pogue was begging now; hands clenched, voice soft and pleading.

"Well, boy let me consider and you come round on Friday."

Pogue's lips curled up in a relieved smile. "Thanks, Sam."

"Eh, I never said I'd give it to ya fer sure. Just considering here."

"And I appreciate that Sam." Pogue replied. Turning to Phyliss, he gently shooed her out of the shop.

"Wait!" Phyliss all but yelled when she spotted Pogue's Ducati. "We're going back on a motorbike?"

"Well, yeah." Pogue retorted as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "What else?"

"Well, I dunno… I guess I forgot." Phyliss was extremely uncomfortable around motorbikes, even if her cousin was a freak about them.

"C'mon, you'll be safe." Pogue comforted, straddling the seat of the mean machine.

Softly moaning in dread, Phyliss slowly hopped on behind him. She had barely gotten into a comfortable position when Pogue impatiently revved up the engine and off they were.

-

_**A/N:**_ Ahh… another chapter off my back and one on yours to review! Please do tell me what you think about it. There is nothing more hurtful in the world for an author than of being under the impression that her stories are unappreciated and unread.


	12. Paperthin Phyliss

_**Ascension of the Halliwells**_ by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Paperthin Phyliss**

-

Tyler breathed out heavily as he struggled to release the seat belt currently holding him back from the exquisite blonde straddling him without trying to break off the kiss. It had started as a goodbye kiss; the ones he was expected to give whenever he drove her back to the hotel but it seemed that Hannah had more than just affectionate pecks on her mind for tonight.

Not that Tyler actually minded.

As his torso was finally freed from the restraints of the seat belt, Tyler fought a little more to dominate the kiss as his hands wandered up and down her back. _Oh Good God…_ His hands slid down her back to squeeze her butt. Hannah retaliated, grinding her hips against his. Tyler growled, pulling away to pretend to glare at his girlfriend. Hannah giggled softly and pressed her lips to the side of his mouth.

"You deserved it." She whispered softly, trailing kisses along his jawline before moving down to his neck.

"Hann?" Tyler's voice was hoarse as if he hadn't tasted water in a week. Hannah barely paid attention to him, capturing his lips in another fiery kiss. "We need… to… talk." He managed to gasp out before he paid his undivided attention on unbuttoning her sweater and tossing it aside to reveal her bare shoulders. Pulling her down so that she lay against him, he slowly caressed her exposed skin with his lips, frustrated at the unavoidable tension.

"You wanted to talk." Hannah reminded him, pulling away.

"Well, yeah." Tyler sat up, one hand absent-mindedly twirling the tips of the blonde's hair.

He noticed that Hannah had become tense and rigid. It was almost like having a rock on his lap, Tyler thought. She must have known it was something serious.

"Hann, these past few weeks have been…" Here, he faltered. What was he to say? Amazing? Fantastic? No, what he had felt had been more incredible than that.

"Been?" Hannah encouraged.

"Just… indescribably unbelievable. In a good way of course." He added hastily.

"Oh-kaaay."

Before Tyler could address her evident uncertainty, she had cut him off with a finger on his lips. "Tyler, it's been great for me too. And I mean _great_ great, not _just_ plain great but _tenfold_ great. Y'know?"

Tyler's lips curled up into a smile; Hannah was endearing when she babbled. He nodded.

"And I know what you're going to say next," _She does?_ Tyler's eyes widened. Phyliss hadn't been present when he'd announced to his brothers that he was asking Hannah to move into the Simms Mansion with him. Could Reid have told her? "So I'm just gonna say _thanks_ for the amazing time you've given me… and I wish you luck." By this time, Hannah's eyes had become alarmingly teary. "With whatever it is you're gonna do in the future."

"Hannah?" Tyler cupped her face with both hands. "Baby, you sure we're talking 'bout the same thing here?"

"You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" Hannah asked, bewildered.

And Tyler cracked up. He started laughing so hard he just about cried himself.

"What?" Hannah yelled. She started hitting his chest with her small fists. "Stop laughing; it isn't funny!"

When Tyler did not comply, she frowned and 'hmph'ed which only made the seventeen-year old laugh harder.

Hannah threw up her hands in frustration. _Boys!_ She opened the door of the stationary truck and jumped down from Tyler's lap. Slamming the door and walking away, she heard it opening again only a few seconds later, depositing a hysterical Tyler onto the pathway.

"Hann-hic-ah!" Tyler called.

Hannah ignored the giggling teenager.

"Hannah!" Tyler tried again. He ran in front of the irate girl before pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Breaking up with you is the last thing on my mind." He whispered, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

Hannah said something Tyler couldn't hear; her head was practically buried in his chest.

"Mm-hamm-mpmh."

"What?"

A second later and Tyler was sent flying back a few steps as a gasping Hannah struggled to restore oxygen back into her respiratory system.

"I---can't---breathe!" Hannah wheezed.

Once she had caught her breath however, she turned back to the conversation. "So… what _were_ you talking about?"

"_We-ll_… I was thinking… you in the hotel alone. No company and all. Soithoughti'daskyoutomoveinwimme."

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Tyler took a deep breath and repeated himself slowly. "Hannah. Would. You. Move. In. With… Me."

The ever-changing emotions on Hannah's face might have been comical had Tyler not felt it was such a serious occasion. Hannah finally rested on an impassive facade. "_What?_"

Tyler felt as if he could scream. _Why the fuck is this so difficult?_ He yelled at himself. _C'mon, Baby Boy… you like her - Check. She likes you - Check. You're feeling positively-sure-in-no-doubt-whatsoever that she isn't after the money - Check._ Then he thought about Chase. _And your powers - Check._ Looks like I've found the perfect girl, he thought, so how come I'm so scared to take the next step in the relationship. Or did I accidentally missed one step? _Like sex?_ Tyler shook his head. That could come later. No matter how strongly he felt about their relationship, Tyler wouldn't push his girlfriend for it until she was ready. Even if Reid was siding with the Devil over his decision.

He tried again. "Move in---"

"No, no! I heard you there!" Hannah waved a hand. "Move in to _where_, Tyler?"

"The house."

"As in _your_ house? Your _family's_ house?"

"Yep. How 'bout it?"

Hannah stared at him. _How 'bout '_NO_'? _Besides the fact that she knew he was a witch, she knew her family in San Francisco would _never_ allow her to move all the way across America into some seventeen-year old's house. Not to mention the fact that they didn't even _know_ that she was dating said seventeen-year old.

"I'm going to be _eighteen_, Hannah." Tyler rolled his eyes, frustrated.

Hannah stared at him. _Did I just_ _say that out loud or… oh my God, did he Use his powers on me? Shit, does he know that I know?!_ But nothing on Tyler's face betrayed the possibility that he might have heard about the witch part. Only the fright that she might have figured out that he read her mind magically showed.

"Yeah… to get into movies with an M-18 rating, Tyler. Look, I'm _nineteen_ years old going on twenty and I'm not sure your parents and sister are gonna take it very well. I mean, Kari might but Mrs. Simms wouldn't. _Trust_ me," She added as Tyler opened his mouth to protest. "I know mothers."

"Not mine." Tyler insisted. "She's a real cool lady and she'll be happy to see you. In fact she's been _demanding_ to see you."

Hannah's mouth dropped open. "You _told_ your---"

"Sister." Tyler interjected.

Comprehension immediately dawned on Hannah. "Ah. Now that clears everything." _Of course!_ Hannah mentally screamed. How could she not have thought that Kari wouldn't have spilled the beans about her brother finally having someone?

"So is that a 'yes'?" Tyler grinned hopefully.

"I'll… think about it."

"Great! Pack up your stuff by this Friday and we'll be all set to move in." Tyler nodded.

"Tyler! I said _maybe_."

"My mother taught me a long time ago: when a lady says _no_, she means maybe. When she says maybe, she means yes. When she says _yes_, well…" Tyler scrunched up his face. "I guess she wouldn't be _called_ a lady."

"Tyler Simms!"

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He pecked her on the cheek before hightailing it back to his car as if afraid she might run after him.

Hannah huffed and crossed her arms. "I actually got overruled. Unbelievable."

-

Phyliss ran all the way to her mother's bedroom as soon as she Flamed into the penthouse apartment. "Mom!" She yelled.

"Phyliss?" Jessica Halliwell stood at the threshold of her bedroom, forehead wrinkled as she squinted her eyes at the younger girl. "What's wrong?"

"Jessie, is Mom home?"

"No, she's at the Manor - why?" But before Jessica could finish, Phyliss had already Flamed out of the apartment, bent on finding her mother.

Arriving at the Manor, Phyliss skipped some extremely surprised family members and quickly located her mother in the attic, despite already being on the verge of fainting due to the exhaustion from her long journey.

"Mom."

Phoebe Halliwell looked up at the sound of her name from where she stood at the Book of Shadows. "Phyliss! What're you doing here?"

Phyliss hesitated. "I… missed you."

"Oh, honey…" Phoebe moved around the Book to hug her daughter. "I missed you too."

As Phoebe returned to flipping pages of the Shadows, Phyliss tentatively lowered herself onto an old sofa. "Mom… did you ever know a Jessica… Parry?" She asked, holding her breath.

Phoebe instantly froze. "I---I don't… th-think so." She stammered out. "Why?"

Phyliss pulled out the necklace her mother had given her the day after her eighteenth birthday. "A pendant," She fingered the intricate accessory. "Similar to this one… was found in a magic shop in Ipswich. The woman who gave it to the owner was Jessica Parry."

Phoebe seemed to be growing paler and paler. "Phyl, m-maybe it's like a set or some---"

"The owner said it was two of a kind, Mom." Phyliss cut in. "Said a goblin made it. And you told me about goblins when I was nine, didn't you? You said they liked to make stuff in pairs. Especially for lovers. So how come Jessica Parry brought in the other half. Something you need to tell me?"

"Look, Phyliss, I don't know why you're taking this seriously but there's nothing to it, okay?" Phoebe sounded angry now and inside, Phyliss quivered a little. Her mother was a peacekeeper of the family and rarely raised her voice. "I bought that thing in France on my honeymoon with Coop. I bought _one_, Phyliss. Not two. Jessica Parry must have bought the other half."

Phyliss blinked. Suddenly she felt like a fool; a failure of an investigator to have missed certain possibilities. Yet, the longing to know as a daughter came long before the thirst for answers as a detective. "I'm sorry." She whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

"Phyliss…" Phoebe hugged her daughter again. "It's okay. You were curious, I know."

Pulling away, Phyliss nodded. "I'm gonna go."

"You're sure you'll be fine?"

Nodding again, Phyliss stepped out of the attic, pure disappointment washing over her. The feeling quickly dissipated when she caught sight of someone who had _definitely_ no right to be in the Manor.

"Chase _Collins_?" She choked out, her eyes never leaving the figure bending to inspect the vase of flowers sitting on the table placed in the middle of the foyer. His head seemed to turn and seeing Phyliss, he grinned.

When Phyliss blinked, however, Chase was gone and in his place stood – in the same position – a handsome man, a little older than Phyliss. Blonde with big grey eyes and at a height of around 6 feet, Phyliss couldn't match him to the guy she had seen mere seconds ago. "Um… hi." He stood up straight and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Who are _you_?" Phyliss stared at him.

"Ryan Sanders… Grace's uh…" He trailed off and Phyliss got the impression that he was unsure about their status as an official couple.

"Boyfriend." A new voice finished. Phyliss turned around to see her cousin, all dressed up for her date. Her brown eyes were sparkling; something Phyliss hadn't seen for six months after Grace's last boyfriend.

_Boy, she seems pretty excited about this Sanders guy_. Phyliss observed, taking in the enthusiasm the brunette before her was currently radiating. Phyliss gazed at the couple as Ryan kissed her on the lips before complimenting on how beautiful she looked tonight. As Grace stepped out the front door, she turned back and winked at Phyliss, clarifying just how ecstatic she felt in being with Ryan.

Once the door swung closed, Phyliss sighed and leaned against the wall. _Now how come I can't feel the same about Reid? _Phyliss had realized that in the space of two days, her relationship with Reid had somehow become… distanced. Their first kiss had been searing with intense passion but she wasn't sure how he exactly felt about her. After all, hadn't he been hesitant about his feelings for her the night they had kissed? Shaking her head, Phyliss let out a little laugh before Flaming back to the dorms.

-

Phyliss crept around the corridor, clutching the towel to her body as if her life depended on it and scurried to her dorm room, eager to slip into her pajamas and snuggle up in her bed. Just when she thought she was safe, however, a hand slapped onto her bare shoulder and she whipped around, screaming.

"Shh, shh…" Phyliss calmed down at the sight of the familiar blue-eyed blonde before her.

"Reid!" Phyliss sighed, before slapping him on the shoulder gently. "Asshole. Don't scare me like that."

"What can I say…" Reid leaned in closer and gently placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'm a scary guy."

Phyliss laughed softly. She could feel herself relaxing a little around him now. "So… I saw Pogue gave you a ride back."

"Mm-hmm." She could feel his breath on her ear as he leaned closer and it was getting harder to concentrate on holding up her towel.

"Where'd you go?"

"Downtown. Why?"

Reid pulled back slightly. "Nothing. You should probably get into bed."

Phyliss felt bewildered; one minute he was being affectionate but the air quickly changed as soon as she had told him where they went. But the breeze that past by made her agree that she should get inside.

"Alright. Bye." Pecking him on the lips, she turned and reached for the doorknob.

"Phyliss!"

Phyliss turned back to her boyfriend. "Hmm?"

Reid was looking down on the ground, his right shoe scuffing the floor. "If I told you to stop hanging out with Pogue… and I mean _ever_, would you?"

"If there was a good reason for it."

"Look, Phyl… I just…" He swallowed. "People see, people talk. You and Pogue are pretty close. Closer than you are with Caleb or Tyler."

"_People_ talk? Or is it just you and your sick little mind, Reid? I repeat: there's _nothing_ wrong with _talking_ to someone, Reid! Why can't you ever understand that?"

"You make me sound unreasonable." Reid accused.

"That's because you _are_." Phyliss shot back.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't be talking to someone as unreasonable as me."

"You're right. I shouldn't." Phyliss's voice had become cold and as she glared at him one last time, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside before slamming the door close in his face.

Nicole who had been sitting up in bed with a book in hand, looked up in alarm to see an impassive Phyliss entering the small washroom before banging it shut. She listened carefully for the inevitable sobs but it never came. And locking herself up in the little restroom, Phyliss Halliwell wondered how her initially valiant mission had turned rather abysmal and hopeless. For with Reid against her now, it seemed that there really was no hope for the Sons of Ipswich. They would die at Chase's hands.

-

**A/N:** Hey ya'all! I hope you liked this chapter and review well because the imminent battle comes closer. In about one or two chapters more, I think since I haven't planned after this chapter yet but I still hope you'll continue to read, enjoy and review! Thanks! ;)


	13. Presence

_**Ascension of the Halliwells**_ by _**bBsya-aJa**_

**Presence**

-

Thursday and Friday passed as uneventfully as Phyliss hoped they would. She wasn't on speaking terms with Reid anymore – and wouldn't be until he got over his jealous issues about her friendship with Pogue. The rest of the Ipswich gang didn't know what had caused the break-up and it seemed like few girls – except Sarah and Kate – in the school, cared. All they had wanted was Reid back on the market, free and available.

Hannah finally decided to move in with Tyler after discussing it with her parents. Though Henry was less than willing to let his daughter move in with some boy she had met in Massachusetts, his wife quickly cooled him down, reminding him that Hannah was only an orb away.

"I just don't want you to get hurt." He had told his daughter gruffly as he hugged her good-bye.

Phyliss had helped with Hannah's stuff and together, had booked a room at the hotel where Tyler thought she was staying in. Tyler would pick her up later in the evening, as planned and he would never have to know that his girlfriend spent nights back in San Francisco instead of in Ipswich where he thought she would be.

Passing by the common room of the dormitory building, Phyliss spotted a despondent Reid sitting and watching re-runs of _Friends_. He didn't seem to be paying attention to the show though; his forehead was creased in thoughtfulness and his lips were set in a thin line. Phyliss couldn't particularly blame him. Besides the break-up, he had his Ascension and Tyler's moving out to fill his plate. She was surprised, however, that he was alone. Ever since he became single again, the long line of girls queuing at his door for a date or shag or whatever service it was that Reid had provided, returned.

Phyliss shook her head as she leaned against the doorsill, observing the blonde. His Ascension was in three days. Phyliss had received no other vision or warning as to what Chase might have been planning. There was no doubt now that Chase was the new Source of All Evil, as her Uncle Leo had told her. Aunt Piper and him had gone out of their way to get information on the guy and she was extremely grateful. The facts they had gathered however, didn't tell her where, when or how Chase was going to attack Reid.

Phyliss was trying her best to keep him in sight but there was only so much one could do in trying to protect their ex-boyfriends. Stepping into the room, Phyliss folded her arms across her breasts as she approached Reid. A closer inspection revealed at least half a dozen of beer bottles on the carpet. Phyliss wondered how it was that nobody had discovered him. "Reid?" Softly touching his shoulder, Phyliss was stunned by the bloodshot eyes, the flushed face as he turned to look at her.

Dropping to her knees, she cupped his head in her hands, forcing him to look at her. Reid strained to shake her hands off, and then realizing that he was getting giddy, tried to pull her hands off with his own. "Reid." Phyliss whispered, tears stinging her eyes as she struggled to understand why he had drunk, why he had been so _desperate_ to escape reality.

"No… leave me 'lone." His words were a slur as he feebly tried to push Phyliss away.

"Reid…" Phyliss tried again. "Stop it, Reid… just stop."

Pulling away from her and slumping back onto the couch, Reid muttered, "I'm gonna be alone…" He passed out.

Biting down on her lip, Phyliss shook her head as the tears that had been threatening to drop finally coursed down her cheek. "No, Reid… you won't be."

Certain that nobody would see her – and by all means, frantic beyond measure to get Reid back up to his dorm room – she pulled him up, his arm around her shoulder, and Flamed them both back upstairs. For a non-Elemental, being transported through Elemental means causes a great deal of inconvenience. Different elements make you feel different things. The most unpleasant thing one could do was to travel with an Earthbearer, one like Grace. You would feel yourself being unable to breathe, as if the earth was pressing itself down on you and thought the horrid feeling would pass in two or three seconds, it would seem like an eternity had passed.

Reid, however, despite having flames licking at his T-shirt and pants as Phyliss transported him up to his room, didn't feel anything. He was out cold and a Phyliss lay him on the bed, she decided that she had best get a wet towel. Hardly noticing the state that the room was in, she grabbed a hand towel and dampened it before slowly wiping Reid's face and pushing his blonde hair off his forehead.

The door opened suddenly and a harried looking Tyler stepped in. He stopped abruptly at the sight of a comatose Reid lying on the bed and Phyliss sitting next to him.

"Oh my God…" Tyler ran to get a closer look at Reid. "What happened?"

"He's okay." Phyliss assured him. "Just drunk. You'd better get going to the hotel; Hannah will be at the lobby by now."

Tyler nodded, his eyes on his best friend. "You sure you can…"

"He'll be fine with me." Phyliss nodded. "Go."

Tyler left slowly, as if hesitant to leave Reid under Phyliss's care. Closing the door after him, Phyliss surveyed the room. Drawers that she guessed had once filled Tyler's stuff were bare and empty. Papers and books, pizza boxes and sweet wrappers littered the floor on Reid's side of the room. On Tyler's side, however, the floor was clean and the bed was made. Phyliss had never seen any two friends with such outstanding contrast between them. Sighing, she started to clean up the room, reminding herself that she was doing it out of mere compassion for a fellow witch.

-

Hannah eyed her new room critically as soon as she closed the door. It was like she was a guest at the Buckingham Palace, the daughter of a President come to visit. It was _that_ grand at the Simms Mansion; the lighting consisted of chandeliers of lovely orange candles or if she was in need of something to brighten the whole room a little more, she could simply turn on the fluorescent spotlights which were fixed the four corners of the spacious room. The floors were made of marble; a pretty peach colour and the walls were decorated with tapestries of the most intricate designs she had seen, despite having studied Fashion Merchandising before she had dropped it to pursue a more serious academic career.

Changing into a tank top and shorts, she leaped onto the four-poster king-sized bed ad wrapped herself up in the bed sheets. Ten minutes later, Hannah realized that living in a mansion was pretty boring after all. She didn't dare venture outside her room in search of entertainment although Rosalie Simms had pretty much told her to go ahead and take full advantage of the house whenever she wanted to.

Sneaking out of her room a minute later, however, Hannah decided that she would get Tyler to entertain her. Weren't that what rich, multi-millionaire boyfriends with homes the sizes of the Magic School supposed to do?

As she tiptoed down the corridor, Hannah spotted the housekeeper on the way to the laundry room. "Um… Ma'am? Could you tell me where Tyler is?" She whispered, fearful of making too much noise in case Mrs. Simms was sleeping.

The elderly woman beamed at her. "Sure… he's somewhere in the library; right down the hallway and turn to your right, dear. Second door."

Hannah nodded gratefully and softly thanking the housekeeper, sneaked off. Following the woman's directions, she found the intimidating double doors of carved wood and slowly pushed it open. A little fire was alight in the hearth at the end of the large room where Tyler sat in a huge armchair with a book in his lap, where his butler coaxed him to take a break and take a cup of tea. Noticing Hannah at the doors, however, his eyes lit up and promising to drink the tea, dismissed the butler for the night as he beckoned Hannah to enter the library.

Looking about her as she walked over, Hannah gaped at the piles of books that just seemed to go on forever. There were shelves that reached the ceiling and long ladders stood around, waiting to be used to retrieve some ancient tome from the top. "Wow… this is some library you've got. I don't think the Mag---" Realizing what she was about to say, however, Hannah abruptly stopped.

"The Mag?" Tyler questioned as he put his arms around her waist and pulled their bodies closer together.

"Mmm… nothing." Hannah closed her eyes, relishing in the warmth coming from him and the fire. How many times, she wondered, would she come this close to spilling the beans? Hannah wasn't certain that she was as sly as to keep a secret as big as hers from Tyler _and_ still be having a real relationship, even if Tyler's secret matched hers. "C'here." Tyler sat down and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her to his chest.

"Tyler, I don't know---"

"Shh…" He ceased the oncoming words with a finger. "We'll talk tomorrow morning, okay?"

Halfheartedly, Hannah nodded. The uneasiness she had felt was soon soothed down as Tyler gently stroked her back and held her close. By eleven, Hannah was out like a light.

-

Closing the door gently behind her, Phyliss sighed as she descended the flight of stairs to her own floor. It was 2.30 A.M. and hardly a time for the living to be up and awake, yet she could spot a light coming from a room further down the hallway. Squinting to distinguish the room number, she realized that it belonged to Sarah and Kate. Phyliss shrugged. She might as well drop by; sleep was out of the question.

She knocked and heard a squeak from the other side as the door opened just a peek. Phyliss recognized the eyes staring at her to be Kate Tunney's. "Phyliss." Kate sighed in relief as she opened the door wider to welcome her friend. "Hey. You gave me a scare when you knocked."

"Sorry." Phyliss apologized absent-mindedly, looking around at the room. She hadn't once entered Kate's room but now found it to be very much like her own. Little balls of paper crushed and left aside at the desk, two neat beds, photographs on the walls and on bedside tables; it was a typical girl's dorm. "So… why are you up so late?"

"Ugh… I couldn't sleep." Kate shook her head. "Nightmares."

Phyliss glanced at her friend sympathetically. "Where's Sarah then?"

"Out with Caleb." Kate replied.

"You need me to stay here with you?" Phyliss offered, sitting down beside Kate on her bed.

"That's really nice of you, Phyl but really unnecessary. I'll be fine; I've been living here for _four years_." Kate pointed out.

Phyliss nodded, touching Kate on the shoulder as she stood up. Instantly, she was hit with a vision; spiders crawling everywhere in the room as Sarah and Kate slept on in their beds. And standing next to her was none other than Chase Collins, eyes dark as night as he sadistically used his powers to control the hateful bugs which continued to swarm the whole room. Phyliss's body was thrown forward and onto the desk as the vision left her.

"Phyliss!" Kate yelled. She ran forward. "Are you okay?"

Phyliss stood up, her hand curling around the photograph frame she had knocked her head against. She looked up, her hazel eyes scanning over the photograph and gave a sudden shiver.

"Kate… who are they?"

"That's Pogue when he was six. And those…" Kate pointed to the man and woman standing at Pogue's sides. "Are his parents."

"His… _parents_?"

"Yeah… his mom's dead and his dad… well, he's… bedridden." Kate confided uneasily.

Phyliss's thumb gently caressed the man's face in the photo. "Wayland…" She whispered.

"What?"

Phyliss shook her head. "I'm sorry Kate but I gotta go. Do you have a car or something?"

"What – no, my wheels were suspended. Where you going? I mean in case you haven't noticed, it's three o'clock in the morning!"

"I gotta go." Phyliss insisted.

She ran to the door but before she could open it, the doorknob turned and in walked Sarah with Caleb right behind her.

"Phyliss!" Sarah greeted, grinning. It spooked Phyliss a little that Sarah was able to smile at 3. A.M.

"Hey, Sarah. Had a good night?" Before the blonde could answer however, Phyliss had asked Caleb for a ride to Pogue's.

"Phyl, it's late. Or early." Caleb protested. "Why the hell do you need to see Pogue at a time like this?"

"Because it's an emergency!" Phyliss had all but yelled before she had dragged Caleb by the arm to the carpark. Ignoring Caleb's muttering something about how the engine hadn't even had a chance to cool down, they started off for the Parry's house, an estate located relatively near to the academy.

As Caleb drove, he talked softly into the phone to whom Phyliss presumed was Sarah. "I'll tell you when I see you tomorrow. Alright. Bye."

As he disconnected the call, he gently placed the phone back on its hold as if afraid that some sudden movement might upset her. Phyliss observed all this with great amusement. "So…" Caleb started. "Any chance I get to find out why---"

"I just need to find Pogue." Phyliss interrupted.

"Okay, okay." Caleb said hastily. He turned the car into the Parry's driveway and through the gates, opened by a night guard who recognized Caleb's Mustang. Once the car stopped, Phyliss opened the door and without bothering to thank Caleb, marched up to the front door where she began to bang – and not softly – inconsiderately.

"Phyliss!" Caleb hissed as he came up from behind her. "What the hell are you doing? It's three in the morning; could you do it a little softer and try _not_ to wake the whole colony up?"

Phyliss looked sheepishly at him. "Sorry," She said. "But I really need to talk to him."

"I'll call him." Caleb ran back to his car and grabbed his Sony Ericsson, speed-dialing the second Son of Ipswich. He didn't need to though; Pogue was at the door, hair disheveled and looking extremely lethargic.

"What the hell, guys." Pogue groaned, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes without luck.

Phyliss pushed past him, entering the dark house. "Could you on the lights?"

A little click and the room was dimly lit by the chandelier lamp hanging from the low ceiling. Noticing a huge display case at the end of the living room, Phyliss tiptoed over, squinting to see the photographs arranged on the shelves. "Pogue… this man is…"

"My dad." Pogue replied, wearily. He was leaning against the glass case, his arms folded and his eyes closed.

Phyliss sighed and rummaged around in her pocket for the locket her mother had given her on her eighteenth birthday. "Pogue."

She held it out to him, it's chain wrapped around her right palm. "I want you to look at this. It's the other half of the pendant we found at the Black Raven."

At the mention of the pendant, Pogue's shoulders squared, his eyes popped open and he stared at the object in Phyliss's hand, his lips set in a thin grimace. All traces of drowsiness disappeared as he carefully took it off her hands. He studied the front of the heart-shaped locket before turning it over. A sharp intake of breath told Phyliss that she was getting somewhere. "This is Dad." Pogue said, his eyes never leaving the photo. He looked up, his eyes full of curiousity and wonder. "How'd you get this?"

Phyliss opened her mouth but before she could speak, there came a single sound that stopped any possible flow of words. The tapping of a cane on the wooden flooring she was standing on. "Pogue." The voice was gravelly, old. A silhouette stood on the landing of the staircase. Phyliss was tempted to jump behind Caleb but forced herself to keep her eyes on the man. Any sudden moves and this stranger would go up in flames. But her hands were frozen; they were glued to her sides as if Phyliss knew that it was _wrong_, wrong to attack this strange old man at all.

As the figure came closer and the knocking of the cane became louder, Phyliss braced herself. And slowly, the face behind the voice came into view. Phyliss found that breathing was hard; that her feet was rooted to where she was standing in between of Pogue and Caleb. The hazel eyes that now stared into her own was one she had so often dreamed about. And as if he could read her mind, the man now identified as Wayne Parry, widened his eyes and quickly looked away. Yet it seemed that taking his eyes off of her was difficult; every now and then, he would look at her before turning his eyes away.

A long silence passed before Phyliss stepped forward, pendant in her hand. She threw it at the old man who caught it. Strangely in the back of her mind, Phyliss was reminded of Yoda. Ancient but still smooth with the reflexes. "My mother was Phoebe Halliwell." She told him, ignoring the flash of recognition and shock that passed through his eyes. "And we're witches." She ignored the looks of disbelief that Pogue and Caleb sent at her and at each other and ploughed through.

"Who are _you_?"

-

_**A/N:**_ Whoo-pee! That's another chapter gone and done and it's probably one of my longer ones, which means that you'll have more to _criticize_ or _commend_ on. Either way, I hope you send in your thoughts about the direction the ending is heading in.

And because I have received 40 reviews, I shall reveal a little tidbit:

**AT LEAST TWO CHARACTERS IN **_**AotH **_**WILL DIE.**

Who? Hard to say. With more than eight main characters in the story, there are so many possibilities but don't let that stop you from guessing. The speed at which the next update comes depends on you, dear readers. ;)


	14. Puzzle

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by_** bBsya-aJa**_

**Puzzle**

**A/N:** After a nine-day hiatus, a seven-paged, 3012-word chapter is what you readers get! In Fall Out Boy language: Thks fr th rvws! ;)

Phyliss sat back into the plush cushions of the Parrys' living room, a little taken aback but still able to take pride in the fact that the apple she had thrown had not fallen far from the tree. She registered the blank faces of Caleb and Pogue. Poor men. They were still in shock. Then there was Wayne. He was still staring at her; much like he had from the moment she had told him her name.

His face was wrinkled, aged beyond recognition from the photo in her locket or the pictures in Kate's room but his eyes gave him away. They were still young; a bright golden brown much like Pogue's.

"So." They both turned to look at Pogue who had finally found his voice. "You're my…"

"Yep."

Pogue waved at his father. "And he's your…"

"I guess."

"Now what?" He asked. "We become a _family_ or something? I mean, no offence, Phyl but we can't just enter each other's lives like we've known each other for the past eighteen years."

"No." Phyliss acknowledged. "We can't. But as much as I'd like to at least start with the possibility of a little bonding, I haven't told you _my_ part of the story yet."

She paused, though not for dramatic effect. Pogue and Caleb were already blown away by Wayne's previous confession but the worst was yet to come. "Your part?" Caleb urged.

"Yeah. You should know I didn't come to Ipswich just to find out who my real dad was. I came here with a purpose. To save Reid."

"_Save_ him?" Caleb echoed. "From whom?"

Phyliss bit down on her lower lip. "Chase Collins."

-

Phyliss sprinted down the hallway, Pogue two steps away from her. Something wasn't right. She had sensed it the moment she had been unable to Flame anywhere within a 20-mile radius of the dorms. And she was right. Skidding to a stop just outside the door, she slowly took in the frightful sight before her. The door had been torn apart at it's hinges and the room looked like it had been hit by a hurricane.

Papers and books lay everywhere, burnt and torn. The bed was messed; the sheets looked as if it had been scratched by long fingernails and the pillow had been shredded to pieces. And on the wall… _The psychic's lover is mine._

"Oh my Goddess." At this point, Phyliss started to cry. The writing in blood on the walls… it was too much. Had it been Reid who had put up a fight or had it been Chase torturing him? The place held a strong scent of dark magic; so powerful that Phyliss quivered in fear for Reid's life. It had been her fault; if she hadn't been so caught up in trying to solve her latest suspicion, she would have been looking after Reid. She could have prevented the kidnap.

"Phyl…" Pogue touched her shoulder. "We'll get that little son of a bitch. You have my word on that. But we gotta check up on Sarah and Kate; they could be in danger."

Phyliss nodded and allowed Pogue to lead her out of the room and down to Kate's room where they found to their relief that they had been unharmed. "Pogue… is… _he_ back?" Sarah asked fearfully as they prepared to take their leave. Turning his head ever so slightly, Pogue gave a firm nod. "He won't hurt you. You're not what he wants." He promised them before closing the door. He heard the lock click behind him but was not reassured. If Chase _did_ decide to come after the girls, a piece of metal bar would not stop him from getting what he wanted.

It seemed hardly anything ever did.

-

They met back up at Pogue's house. By the time Phyliss and Pogue arrived on his Ducati, Caleb's Mustang was already parked outside the wooden fence. When Phyliss entered, the first thing she noticed was that Tyler was standing on the opposite side of the room from where Hannah sat, face covered by her hands.

"Where's Reid?" Tyler demanded as soon as he saw her.

Phyliss had to grit her teeth to stop tears from forming at his harsh tone. "Gone." Pogue answered, somber.

Caleb, looking rather pale, inquired about his girlfriend and Kate. "They're fine." Pogue assured his friend. "Chase won't use them."

"How could you be so sure?" Tyler insisted.

"Because they have nothing to do with it. This is about Reid."

"Yeah but look who's saving him." Caleb pointed out. "We're vulnerable as long as they're unprotected."

"Chill, I'll ask Junior to get over there and look after them." Hannah reached for her cell phone but before she could wriggle it out of her pocket, Tyler had swooped down on her.

"Don't bother." He hissed. "I think we've all had enough of the Halliwells for tonight."

Hannah, obviously stung, did not back down. "Excuse me?!" She all but yelled. "In case you haven't realized, we're trying to _save_ Reid. Look, I'm sorry I never told you I was a witch but you didn't exactly mention it either!"

Tyler backed off, retreating to the fireplace where he leaned against the cold hard stone, accepting the truth of her words. He had liked her, trusted her, _loved_ her even yet he had never for one moment thought of telling her his secret.

"Look guys," Pogue started, resuming his position as peacekeeper. "It was nice of you to try to protect us but we could have done it ourselves. Why didn't you just _tell_ us?"

"Because I didn't want to give Chase an opportunity to change anything from what I saw in my vision. I wanted it to seem like I wasn't even there while keeping an eye on Reid."

"Unfortunately…" Caleb trailed off as he realized why things had turned out the way they had. "Reid noticed _you_."

"That's when things started to kind of backfire." Phyliss admitted guiltily.

"So why didn't you tell us then?" Pogue asked.

Phyliss pondered on it for a while. "I dunno. I guess… I kinda liked how it felt to be part of a family even when I was miles away from my real one. I'm sorry Chase got to Reid but I swear I'll do _anything _to get him back."

There was a short silence as everyone absorbed the enormous amount of information they had had to process within the space of a few minutes. "So… what are we waiting for?" Tyler asked. "I mean Reid's out there, probably dying…"

"No, I don't think so." Phyliss shook her head. "He needs Reid alive. The last time he was here, what did Chase want?"

"My powers." Caleb said darkly. "Only if I willed it to him, I'd die."

Phyliss nodded. "We have until Tuesday night for Reid's Ascension."

"And what are we doing here now – sitting around and hoping Reid will find his own way out?" Tyler raised an eyebrow.

Phyliss squirmed slightly. Caleb who had been watching her narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Phyliss sighed. "See my old folks and extended family think I'm here for the scholarship. They don't exactly know about Chase."

It was Pogue's turn to sigh. "God, this is going to be a long night."

-

Piper was in the kitchen, stirring a pot of vanquishing potion. A dozen of unused vials sat around, waiting to be filled with the grey-coloured liquid. As she turned round to grab a pile of lime leaves, she suddenly became aware of a sudden presence of magic, one different than her own, surging through the house. Turning around, she saw that her kitchen was a little more crowded than it had been five seconds ago.

"Hannah. Phyliss." She blinked at the others; three boys who stared back blankly at her.

The tall brunette standing next to the oven glanced down at his hands before patting his legs as if unsure whether they were really there.

"Whoa… what _was_ that?" Another lanky brown-haired male wondered out loud.

"It's called orbing." Piper said, helpfully. Turning to her nieces, she narrowed her eyes, "Care to explain?"

"Long story but I'll give you the Cliff Notes version: the bad guy got Reid."

"You mean Chad?" Piper asked, her forehead creasing as she struggled to remember his name.

"Chase." Mr. Legs corrected. A sudden shadow clouded over his face as if he was reminiscing something not entirely pleasant. "Chase Collins."

At that moment, an aggravated Chris Halliwell stepped into the kitchen, hair messed, donning a crumpled grey tee shirt and boxers. In his arms, he held the Book of Shadows and as he flipped through the pages rapidly, Phyliss could hear him mumbling something particularly murderous.

"Mom, did you see where Jessie went?" He asked, his eyes never leaving the book.

"Chris." Piper responded gently, wishing her son would stop being so occupied and actually bothered to look up. _I mean what if they were demons instead? _Piper thought.

"I meant we've got to finish off that demon---" At that point, Chris took his eyes off the Book – and noticed the guests. "---stration." He finished smoothly. "Because, you know, everyone should know how to change a tire."

"We just orbed in, Chris." Hannah rolled her eyes, pushing past her cousin to get OJ out of the fridge.

"Oh, right." Chris exhaled in relief. "Thought for a moment there I was actually gonna have to go into details. Where's Jess?"

"She said she went to look for Grace; have you seen her by the way?"

"Not since last night." Chris replied. "She was out with that Ryan guy again."

Piper hummed thoughtfully. "They're getting pretty serious."

Chris, obviously impatient, muttered something about going to find Jess before he orbed out.

Turning off the fire on the stove, she went out into the empty living room, her family and guests following. "Sorry if we're causing trouble but we'd just like to know if there's any way you can help us get Reid back." Caleb blurted out.

Piper turned around looking hesitant to speak. "Look; there's news of a new Source of All Evil has taken its place as ruler of the Underworld and I think it might be your old friend there."

"How are you sure?" Phyliss asked curiously as Caleb mouthed Piper's words. Hannah, noticing his confusion, promptly explained.

"Jess." Piper said simply and it answered Phyliss's doubts. Jess would only relay information that she was certain of.

"Who's Jess?" Tyler asked.

"My half-sister." Phyliss replied. "She has access to the Underworld without being easily detected because she's part demon."

A flame erupted out of nowhere beside Phyliss and the boys jumped back as a pretty blonde woman materialized. "Jess!"

"Hey, Phyl." The hybrid witch gave her sister a tired smile.

"How's the situation down under?" Piper asked.

"Rumor has it that the Source has recently taken a witch captive about a few hours ago." She reported.

"Rumor?" Piper raised an eyebrow.

Jess sighed. "Okay, okay, I peeked through a little hole. Saw him _and_ the witch."

"Blonde and wearing a red jumper?" Phyliss asked.

Jess frowned. "Yeah. How'd you know that?"

"You didn't try to save him?" Tyler yelled at her.

Jessica turned to him, green eyes flashing dangerously. "I didn't exactly want to risk myself for someone I didn't know if it's all that unusual to you. What's it to you anyways?"

"I'm sorry on his behalf. He's Tyler and I'm Caleb. Reid's our witch brother." Caleb explained carefully.

"Who's the Source?" Pogue asked, coming out of the dining room where he had looked at pictures of the Halliwells. He couldn't believe that he had family on this side of America, much less that they were witches.

"Uh… about five feet, ten inches tall… kinda psychotic if you ask me. I'm sorry, who are you?" Jess asked.

"Pogue. Pogue Parry."

In that instance, both Jessica and Piper inhaled sharply, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Phyliss or the other Sons. _They knew?_ Phyliss wondered in disappointment at the same moment as Jess asked, "Your father's Wayne?"

Pogue nodded. "He's my dad. And Phyliss's."

"You knew?" Phyliss screeched at her sister. She could understand why her aunts and mother could keep a secret as big as having a twin brother in Ipswich was but her own sister? _Half_-sister as it may be but still…

"Only the Charmed Ones knew. This generation and the one before us."

"Damn, that makes me sound old." Piper grumbled. "Look, honey, your sister and cousins were sworn to secrecy by your mother not to tell you. She knew that if you knew about Pogue, you would go search for him."

Phyliss scoffed. "Yeah and a lot of good that did. I _still_ found him didn't I?"

Piper and Jess looked sheepishly at her.

"Jess, this Source… where is he?" Phyliss asked, sensing the coven's uneasiness.

"In the heart of the Underworld." The blonde replied.

The door leading to the Magic School on the landing of the stairs opened and out stepped Junior. "Girls." He nodded. He gave the boys a once over and a light seemed to dawn in his own brown eyes as he looked at Pogue.

"Hey." He gave him a half-grin, which Pogue returned just as enthusiastically.

"Ridiculous." Phyliss muttered under her breath.

"So… we save Reid now?" Caleb asked.

"Whoa there. Hold your horses, big guy." Jess widened her eyes. "He's in the heart of the Underworld, didn't you hear me?"

"Lady, until today, we didn't even _know_ there was an Underworld. Besides Hell, that is." Tyler added uncomfortably.

"Right." Jess rolled her eyes. "You banished covens really _do_ live in a well, magically speaking." She complained. "Being in the heart of the Underworld shields you from unwanted guests zapping in; from prying eyes. _Nothing_ can penetrate it. Only the Source can inhabit such a dark space and be able to control the instability of its powers. Sometimes though, the power gets out of their hand and their shield isn't so complete. That's when you can peek into the heart of the Underworld but actually _going_ in? Boy, you must be outta your mind."

"So what now?" Pogue asked.

"_You_ stay here." She looked pointedly at the coven – or what was left of it – as well as her sister. "And try to find out how we can defeat the new Source. Me – I'll be going back. Maybe I can get another peek at what's going on."

"And when can we save our brother?" Tyler demanded.

"When the Shield is at its weakest, most vulnerable moment."

"Like during Reid's Ascension." Phyliss supplied.

"Sounds right." Piper nodded. "If Reid's Ascending, Chase will have no choice but to let down the shield so that the Power can get through."

"And that's when we'll attack." Hannah finished triumphantly.

Jess nodded confidently. "Try to rest for now and look in the Book for anything about vanquishing Chase." She reminded them as she prepared to leave. Looking at Pogue, she offered him a warm smile. "It's good to have you back."

WHOOSH!

"Phyliss. The girls." Caleb reminded her.

"Right. Junior, I need your help. I need you to follow Caleb back to Spenser and protect his girlfriend and Pogue's. Chase has used them before and if he comes for them, I don't want him to _get_ them."

Junior nodded. Walking over to Caleb, he placed a hand on his shoulder and started to orb them away. "Wait." Caleb called. He looked at his two best friends. "You'll be okay?"

"We'll be fine." Pogue promised. "Go."

When Caleb and the Charmed One had gone, Phyliss touched Pogue's arm gently. "I think it's time you met our mother." She told him.

She led him away up the stairs, Piper following them so that Tyler was left alone with Hannah. Neither was looking at the other. Uncomfortable with the idea of being around him, Hannah climbed up the steps but had only managed to brush the doorknob with her fingertips before Tyler asked her to wait.

She turned around to face the handsome brunette standing at the foot of the stairs, eyes pleading. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Hannah replied. "Not for me and not for you."

"That's not true." He said, slowly ascending the flight of stairs. "It wasn't fair of me to be angry at you. It wasn't your fault Reid's with Chase. You're right. I never told you."

"_I_ should have told _you_." She murmured as he caressed her cheek.

"It doesn't matter." Tyler insisted. "I'm sorry I yelled."

Hannah shook her head as he pulled her into a tight hug. "It's okay."

"Hann?"

"Hmm?"

"Is there somewhere we could go?" Tyler asked.

"Why?"

"No offense but this house reeks of some serious magic." Tyler looked around. He had been a little freaked by the aura of the Manor ever since they had orbed in.

Hannah chuckled. "Well, there is this one place…"

-

The first thing Phoebe thought of when she looked at Pogue was how handsome he'd grown. She _knew_ him of course. He was her son. The retired Charmed One could no longer deny the longing to have her baby in her arms again, even if he _was_ eighteen.

He had stared at her as if he couldn't believe his eyes; as if he thought she was a mirage. Then she had uttered his name. She had spoken softly but everyone had heard her. He half-ran, arms open so that he hugged her tightly upon reaching her. Phoebe felt herself hugging him back, tears slipping from her eyes and onto Pogue's shoulder. _I've waited so long for this…_ She thought, looking up to the heavens and silently thanking them.

"Mom." He whispered, gripping her tighter and Phoebe cried again.

Pogue felt another arm around the middle of his back and looked up to see Phyliss, eyes glistening. He hugged her as well and the reunited family wept as the missing pieces of their lives fixed onto the jigsaw puzzle. Finally, they were complete.

-

**A/N:** Hold it! You didn't think that this is all that's come out of nine days, did you? As a treat, I've included a bonus chapter, which explains why the twins were separated. All the stuff that I never quite managed to fit in here. I must love you…


	15. Present

**Bonus Chapter**

-**  
**

"So… how come me and Pogue were…" Phyliss trailed off as she looked at her mother.

They were sitting on the attic floor except for Piper and Phoebe who had grabbed the couch. Sabrina had joined them and sat cross-legged in between her half-siblings, eyes on her mother and eager for a story.

"Separated?" Phoebe finished. "Didn't Wayland tell you that?"

"No; he only told me he was my dad. I wanted to ask but Chase was more important."

"Um… well, when you were born, I'd never expected that you'd be twins. I never went for sonograph or anything. I just knew I was pregnant and left it at that. And then you were born and I told Wayne. He insisted on taking the boy because of this inevitable Ascension."

"And me?" Phyliss asked, wondering if her father had never wanted her all along.

"You have to see Phyliss, that unlike me, Wayne was married when we had that one night stand in Paris. Jessica Parry was a noble woman who accepted her husband's faults and forgave them. She brought up the evidence of his infidelity as her own son. She even knew what Wayne was; a member of a banished witch covenant dating back to the 1800s and understood what Pogue was going to grow up into."

"But bringing two witches into the house; two witches with different powers, no less was not a reasonable decision." Piper continued. "So Pogue went with Wayne and Phyliss stayed with us."

Sabrina raised her hand and Phoebe beamed at her daughter. "Hmm?"

"What kind of a name is _Pogue_?" She asked, scrunching her nose.

Pretending to be hurt, Pogue let out a very affronted "Hey!" and ruffled the teenager's hair.

"I dunno." Phoebe scrunched her nose as well. "Wayland thought up of it. All I asked of him was to make sure that the baby's name started with a 'P'."

"Mom, that's the answer to everything!" Sabrina yelled as she dashed across the attic to retrieve the Book of Shadows. Her new brother and sister followed her, standing by her side as she flipped hurriedly, anxious to find the correct page.

"What're you looking for?" Pogue asked.

"The prophecy."

"What prophecy?"

"One that the Elders wrote a year before Chris was born." Phyliss explained.

"Aha!" Sabrina pointed to the page she had found. "_Elementals_."

"'A gift shall be bestowed upon the second-borns of each of the Charmed Ones upon their birth with the condition that they be follow the tradition of having their names begin with a 'P'. However complete control does not come directly; the bequeathed should reach his or her eighteenth birthday before full power is granted.'" Sabrina read. "In your case, it's control over fire. Chris's is air and Grace controls the earth. So that would mean Pogue could command…"

"Water." Phyliss finished. "Any freaky incidents concerning water lately?"

Pogue could think of several. "Pogue, what happens when you Use?" Phyliss asked.

Pogue did not answer, merely looked across the room and willed himself to levitate an old lamp. Phyliss studied his onyx eyes with interest. "Why do you ask?"

"I've done it before."

"Done what?"

"Used."

Pogue gaped at her. "But you're a girl."

Piper waved her arms about. "Sorry, I think you've lost me there."

"The Power is passed on _only_ to the eldest _son_. Note how I enunciate on the _son_ part. A girl Using is _not_ possible."

"Well excuse _me_…" Phyliss crossed her arm, scowling.

"Guys," Sabrina said gently. "Isn't there some way that the Power could have gotten confused? I mean you _are_ twins. Same blood running through your veins and all."

"I don't know; nothing like this has ever happened." Pogue scratched his head.

"There's a simple solution for that." Sabrina said, flipping again to another page.

"How so?" Pogue asked.

"There's a spell to return lost powers. I just gotta find it."

Piper felt her sister smile watching her kids work together. She grabbed her hand and squeezed it as Phoebe grinned at her.

"Here." Phyliss took hold of Sabrina's hands and held them over the Book. She did the same before looking at Pogue. "C'mon. You too."

"How does this work again?"

"You concentrate on the spell you wanna find. Hopefully our ancestors answer to the call."

Pogue nodded. His hands shyly reached out over the book. As he did so, a light fell around them and the book, which started to flip on its own as if powered by invisible fingers. Pogue's heart lightened considerably at the feel of magic surrounding him and he found himself braced with new hope to win the upcoming battle with Chase. But first, a problem he needed to fix…

When the book stopped flipping, Pogue found himself staring at a spell entitled "To Call a Witch's Powers". The words were written in a cursive, elegant font in jet-black ink. No doubt this was something written before his time.

"You need to read it." Sabrina chirped helpfully.

Pogue looked up at them skeptically but what the hell, could reading something from a book hurt?

_Powers of the witches rise,  
Course unseen across the skies.  
Come to me who call you near.  
Come to me and settle here._

Small, white sparkling orbs travelled upwards from Phyliss's body and slowly entered Pogue's. He felt a strange feeling; a loosening of the knot in his chest and the air felt thinner and easier to breathe in. A flame in his heart ignited as if there had been a release of Power.

"Whoa."

"You felt it too?" He asked, grinning.

Phyliss nodded. "Suddenly I feel… free."

"I don't understand. How did the Power survive in her body?" Pogue asked, his brow furrowing in consternation. "The Book of Damnation clearly said that it would just dissipate if there ever was any attempt to will it to a female."

"Maybe it must have something to do with Phyliss being your twin." Phoebe tried to explain. "Like she was a vessel for your Power. Pogue, there's lots of explanations out there. It could have been the merge of bloodlines; the Warrens and the Parrys or it could be something else entirely complex. Who knows? Nothing matters now as long as you're both safe, right?"

Pogue nodded. His mother was right. The Power hadn't killed Phyliss nor had it disappeared. She had kept it safe for him and she was still safe after he had taken it back.

"I feel ready for Chase." Phyliss declared. A flame ignited at her fingertip and it burned stronger and brighter than Phyliss had ever seen it. Now that her brother's Power no longer clouded hers, she could use them effortlessly. A click and they went out like a candle.

Pogue firmly agreed. He waved his hand as if slapping the air and a dolphin, made entirely out of water materialized before him. It swam up and down, slapping its fins against an invisible surface and making tiny droplets splash out at his two sisters who squealed at the sudden wetness.

"Watch the carpet!" Piper warned as she and her sister stepped out of the attic, leaving the teenagers to start a proper magic duel.

-

_**A/N: And there you are... the bonus chapter. I think I should be either writing about Chase & Reid or Tyler & Hannah next chapter! Review and I might consider adding more bonuses!**_


	16. Proposal

**_Ascension of the Halliwells _**by **_bBsya-aJa_**

**P****roposal**

**_A/N: _**Sorry, folks, I just changed computers so I've had to copy back this chapter from the ol' PC. Ah well, having notebooks now come with advantages; updates while vacationing, don't cha agree?

-

Reid woke up and was instantly hit with the feeling that he had been run over by an eighteen-wheeler. Indeed he might as well have been, judging by the wounds and violent strokes of crimson covering his torso. His cheek sported a nasty bruise, probably having slammed into something hard. He squirmed uncomfortably but it wasn't likely that he would be able to get out of the ropes tying him to a piece of marble, eight feet tall.

"Wakey-wakey..."

Reid clenched his teeth. The voice was unmistakeably – although impossible – belonged to someone he had thought was supposed to be crisp by now.

"Chase." He spat out, glaring around the cavernous room, searching for him. A fire burned five metres away in the middle of the space, its flames dancing sinisterly in his direction as if it wanted to devour him. Claim him and burn him alive like the witches of old.

As if on cue, the warlock himself appeared, slowly strolling out from behind him.

"Missed me?" He smirked.

"Like my dad." Reid snarled. "You don't think you've done your worst, have you Chase? If you haven't noticed, I'm still _alive_."

Chase slowly walked up to him, getting as close as he could to Reid. "Not. For. Long." He whispered before casting the other witch another one of his smiles that once again convinced Reid entirely that Chase was insane.

"Tonight. At precisely two seventeen in the morning, we'll be blowing out your birthday candles, m'boy."

"What makes you think the others won't come and save me?"

"They can't. As in literally. _Can't.__Won't.__Shouldn't try._" Chase laughed. "You have no idea where we are, do you?"

Before Reid could open his mouth, Chase had opened his arms wide as if he had wanted to hug the rocky walls. "This is the Underworld. And we're in the ver heart of it. You _do_ know what that means, don't you?" His lips curled in a hungry smile. "Nobody gets in and more importantly, nobody gets _out_. Excluding me."

Reid shook his head, desperately trying to disregard the words of the older boy. "Caleb and Pogue have Ascended. _Nothing_ is impossible with the Power."

Chase snorted. "That's what you and your pathetic ignorant buddies think. They can _Age_ trying to get in here and it won't happen, Garwin. I mean, sure, having the Charmed Ones on their side gives them a little leverage but _puh-leeze_, they're oldies. Get them to do a little yoga and their spines would probably crack. Their successors don't even have a _third_ of the powers they possessed when they were a little younger."

_This guy's completely whacked,_ Reid realized. _Who the hell are the Charmed Ones?_

Chase, observing Reid's blank expression, smirked smugly. "Ahh... you don't know, do you? The Charmed Ones? As in the _Halliwells..._" His smirk grew as Reid's eyes widened. "You've heard it before haven't you? What's her name again... _Philadelphia_?"

Reid's heart thudded wildly as he realized what was going on. What had been going on for the past few weeks. Chase had been there. Right from the start, from when Phyliss came, he had been there watching them.

_"Hey... Philadelphia isn't it?"_

_"It's Phyliss." Kari corrected, rolling her eyes. "Where's Tyler?"_

"Shit." He muttered under his breath.

"So you _do_ know her." Chase raised an eyebrow. "How 'bout a fun fact – a little tidbit of info before I suck away all that Power wasted on you?"

Reid glared at him, channelling all the revulsion he felt towards the bastard grinning at him.

"Your Phyliss? She's a _witch_. Bet you didn't know that, did you, Garwin? All those times you were with her... better yet, she knew what you were. Ironically she was trying to _save_ you. Instead all she did was _condemn_ you."

"Liar." Reid growled. He wouldn't believe Chase Collins. Why should he?

Chase shrugged. "Believe what you want to." He flicked a hand at the orange flames still burning brightly and it began to change. The fire grew white and Reid was able to distinguish figures through the fog-like brightness. _Pogue!_ ... and _Phyliss!_ There was another girl he didn't know; a younger female who shared similar features with his girlfriend.

And all three of them were engaging in a friendly brawl but it wasn't a test of physical ability. Oh no; the only things they were throwing around the room were small spheres of energy, water and fire. He watched, astonished as Phyliss deflected the ones being thrown at her before creating ones of her own.

"They've forgotten about you." Chase remarked. He, too, was watching.

"Never." Reid tried to yell but his throat was hoarse. Dry and parched like a desert. How could they have? And why were Pogue and Phyliss laughing and seemed so... fitting? Like they were...

"Siblings. No one could have guessed, huh?"

Reid coughed. _What the hell!_

"I mean at first they don't look anything alike but then when you start comparing the hair, the lips..." Chase continued but Reid wasn't listening.

Phyliss Halliwell, his _girlfriend_ was a witch and he hadn't known. She was going to save him but she would die trying because he knew that Chase hadn't untruthful. The pride in his voice as he had told Reid everything... Reid was going to die.

-

"Holy _shit_!" Tyler cursed as soon as he realized exactly where Hannah had orbed them to. The blonde haired girl merely laughed; a sound which up to now had never failed to soothe his senses. But when you're more than four thousand feet above the ground, the only thing that might have given you confidence was a pair of wings.

She held his hand and squeezed it reassuringly as they gazed out at night time San Francisco. "It's beautiful." Tyler remarked. Hannah grinned at him proudly. "It is." She agreed. "I come out here every other night just to have a little quiet time. Advantage of being in a large family is that every once in a while you can slip away and they wouldn't notice."

"It must be nice to have that many cousins." Tyler said. "I saw the pictures. You were beautiful. Still am."

"Go on." Hannah smirked.

"My apologies, miss, but that's as far as my honesty will allow me to say." Tyler joked, in a mock British accent.

Hannah punched him on his arm, a little harder than was necessary. "Ouch."

"That didn't really hurt." Hannah pouted at him.

"Okay, okay, here it goes: you're... extraordinary. I mean it. As in, you can be as sweet as any other girl in Spencer but I don't know... you just... stick out?"

Hannah looked contemplative. "Well, not what I thought you'd say but at least you were being honest."

"Brutally." Tyler nodded. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her to his chest. The moment carried out until Tyler broke the silence. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Just wondering what would have happened."

"If?"

"If we never went out to Nicky's that night. If we never took it further. If Phyliss never did have a vision."

"Then Reid would have died without any of us being warned about it." Tyler said simply. "But no matter what happens, I'll always be glad I met you that day at the dorms. Remember that for me, Hann."

"I won't forget." Hannah promised. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered the three words she would never have thought to say at a time like this.

Tyler was silent; his hand in his pocket. Finally he took a deep breath, as if he was about to plunge into a vast ocean. In a way he was.

"Hann, I gotta ask you something." He said, forcing his heartbeat to slow down. When it seemed she was giving him her full attention, he plodded on. "Do you love me? As in... really. No turning back now."

"Of course I do." The answer was immediate and sincere – encouraging.

"If I asked you, would you have wanted to spend the rest of your life like this?"

Hannah frowned, though Tyler was currently too preoccupied to notice that she was faking. "On a bridge?"

"No... like this." Tyler leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. "This."

"Mmm... the rest of my _life_? Definitely." Hannah smiled.

That was the cue; it was all Tyler needed to get down on one knee.

"Marry me?"

-

_**A/N:**_ And that's a wrap! Hah! Do you think Hannah should accept it or should they wait for such a big decision to be made after they battle with Chase? Should Reid die? I've been gone a long while and I'm sorry for that but I hope those who have been faithfully reading _AotH _will continue to do so and keep on reviewing.


	17. Precipice I

_**Ascension of the Halliwells **_by _**bBsya-aJa**_

**Precipice I**

_**A/N: **_Yo! Sorry for the long away-time! Well point is I'm here with the long-awaited battle, ain't I? Part 2 will be coming soon (I hope!) but ideas for what you'd like to see in the ending would be great and very appreciated!

-

Tyler crouched down behind a rock, watching as Chase jeered and mocked his Covenant brother. He looked at Caleb and Pogue who were hiding as well, both not bothering to hide their disgust of the man not six feet away from them. But they could not attack him now. The force field was still up and making a move now would only alert the enemy. They had to wait.

As Tyler stared at Reid, his mind started to backtrack, going back to the days when they had first met at Camp Iwanahee. They had been thirteen; adolescents yet their personalities then hadn't much changed. Tyler was still the Baby Boy, Pogue the mediator, Caleb remained their leader and Reid... was exactly what they all needed. Together, they weren't just a coven of witches; they were, in Tyler's opinion, the best friendship four people could have.

Which was why he had decided that they were gonna get out of this alive. All of them. Except for Chase of course. That son of a bitch was going to die, tonight. It would be Reid's best birthday present yet. He fingered his newest possession which hung loosely around his neck. The Triquetra wasn't just a symbol of good magic, for Hannah it symbolised protection for the good witches.

_"I'll be here, Tyler... I'll be waiting."_

Even in the Underworld where his best friend and roommate for four years was waiting to be saved, he couldn't keep out thoughts of her. _"I'll marry you... but only after you graduate from college."_ And oh, how he was looking forward to being with her, being liberated from Ipswich and Spenser... his brothers even, for four years with her. He'd get a place where they could stay while he continued his studies at Yale...

"Yo." Tyler jumped slightly when the eldest of Phoebe's daughters slapped a hand onto his shoulder.

"Jesus." He muttered as his heartbeat sped up from the shock.

"Sorry." Jess apologized, sheepishly. "I just came to tell ya, I've been looking around the place. And there's this whole rock concert going on the other side of the walls."

"As in..." Pogue raised an eyebrow.

"Chase's minions. They've gathered around the spot where Chase will bring Reid for his Ascension. The transfer of Power isn't going to take place here guys. Chase won't risk you coming here and overpowering him. He'll want demons to distract you while he gets Reid to Will him his powers."

"So what do we do? Leave him?" Tyler asked, incredulously.

"You need to. Chase will be Phasing him over there. You'll hardly have enough time to be running around the place to get to the other side." She threw them a pile of red robes. "Put these on. Everyone's wearing 'em. It'll be harder to filter you through the crowd. Get to the other side. You should see Phyl and Wyatt there."

"What about you?" Caleb demanded.

"I've got a job to do." It was all the half-demon would say. "Gotta run. Get going."

Jess Flamed out.

"You think we should go?" Pogue asked, taking another peek at Reid.

"Yeah... yeah." Tyler paused. "Dude, do you know how ready I am to kick that motherfucker back into the grave once and for all?"

Caleb and Pogue stopped wrestling with their robes for a moment to stare at Tyler. They smiled at him wryly. "We're right beside you, Baby Boy."

They hurried over; it wasn't hard to find the cave containing the minions. Their chants were loud and it was a one way path anyway. "Oh God..." Tyler gaped at the sight before him. Hundreds – no, _thousands_ of bodies, all screaming and yelling for Chase.

Chase, the Source. The One, the Master. The True Evil.

Tyler could almost barf.

He looked over to his brothers; all of whom had the same expression of disbelief on their faces. "Tyler!" Someone to his off right hissed.

"How's Reid?" Phyliss asked once she had reached his side. Like the rest of them, she was also donning a red robe with the hood pulled up.

"Alive." He replied, grimly. _But barely._

As if she could hear his thoughts, Phyliss spoke up. "We _are_ going to save him, you know that right? Reid's not gonna die, Tyler, at least not tonight."

Tyler nodded. Truth was, nothing was for certain. Chase had been pretty formidable on his own and now he had minions. His heart was sinking with each chant. And then his miracle came.

"Hey." It was another Halliwell; a much more familiar one.

"Hannah?"

"No, I'm Grace. Hannah's twin." The robed brunette shook his hand. "That man who's holding your brother's life... he's my boyfriend."

Tyler's heart skipped a beat and he opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Phyliss interrupted. "Chase courted Grace in the form of someone else. His purpose was to---" A sudden sound stopped her. It silenced the entire cave.

Chase had arrived. A party of hooded minions followed him, walking right through solid rock from the room that Reid had previously been held captive in. Tyler realized, with something near horror that Jess was one of them before he remembered that she was on their side. With Reid tied up to a huge rock nearby, he saluted his followers, grinning ferociously at all of them as Jess and the other demons who had carried Reid here fell back to stand in the shadows. They cheered again. He silenced them with a wave of his arm.

"My friends. It must be clear to you why we're here. I believe all of you here are... _acquainted_ with the Charmed Ones, probably more than I am. This _witch_ is one of them. And tonight I will pledge my dedication, my _allegiance_ to all of you." He pointed at Reid. "This witch carries power, enough to wipe out the entire Halliwell generation if I can get hold of the rest of them. Whether I do, however is entirely up to you."

Tyler checked his watch. _Nice to know it's still working in Hell._ He thought, watching as the second hand ticked by.

"Two minutes." He signalled over to Caleb and Pogue who nodded grimly.

-

Phoebe sighed as she looked at the shadow in her living room. The outline of the figure was faint; as if the person was fading off.

"Hey." Phoebe looked up to see Coop reaching for a side hug. "How you doing?"

"As well as a person can be when she knows three of her kids are down there in the Underworld and there isn't a damn thing she can do about it." Phoebe replied bitterly.

"Hey, hey." Coop rubbed her arm slowly and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Hang on there, honey. They're gonna be okay."

"How do you know that?"

"Cupid instinct." Coop flashed her a bright, chipper smile. "How's he doing then?"

"He'll be okay. What about you? You've got the man who impregnated your wife with twins eighteen years ago in your living room, you can't tell me it doesn't affect you."

"Phoebs, it's okay. It's the past. What's important is here and now. And right now you're by my side."

Phoebe smiled up at her husband. "Thanks."

"Ms. Phoebe?" A blonde girl whom Wyatt had orbed in an hour ago from Ipswich interrupted the moment. "The others say they've cast the scrying spell."

"Oh God, I can't watch." Phoebe stepped out from her husband's embrace. "Look, why don't you watch them and keep me updated while I keep Wayland company?"

Coop nodded. "Okay. You'll be fine?"

Phoebe nodded. As her husband left the foyer, Phoebe stepped into the dark of the living room.

"I think I'm proud of them." Wayland spoke.

Phoebe managed a small smile. "Me too."

-

Tyler let out a wild, throaty laugh as he dodged three energy balls which would have easily turned him to dust. This was... _fun_! Not three steps beside him was Caleb, who was throwing around invisible telekinetic forces that pushed back oncoming minions, even managing to add in a little punch or two of his own.

He eyed Reid at the other end of the room. The Power was still surging through him although it was Caleb and Pogue who noticed that the stream was thinner and slower, thus prolonging Reid's misery. "The Power probably has a hard time getting through to Reid." Caleb assured Pogue as he threw a small Harmun demon over his shoulder.

"Caleb!" Chase grinned as he opened his arms wide to greet them. "Welcome, welcome to my lair!"

"It's always been your battledome, Chase. What makes you think there'll be any difference this time?" Caleb spat. "We fight, you lose. Only this time, let's hope you _stay_ dead for your own sake."

"Uh uh uh..." Chase waggled a finger at him. "Not exactly, Caleb. You see your friend there?"

Caleb didn't even look at Reid.

"He's Ascending. And when he's finished with it, he'll Will it to me. Oh and he _will_ Will it. Unless he wants his pretty little girlfriend to die."

He pointed at Phyliss at the other end of the room. Caleb paled; she was surrounded by at least a hundred minions and with another hundred surrounding his friends, he couldn't see a possible way any one of them could get out of this situation... without being seriously injured.

"Don't even _think_ about teleporting her out of there, or whatever it is you do." Chase warned. "The Murhag has faster reflexes than Jackie Chan in a tux and he'll slit her throat on my word." Caleb eyed the Halliwell again. She was being held by a gangly purple demon who sneered at him, taunting him to approach her. Caleb's eyes widened slightly, as he sought eye contact with Phyliss. The brunette did the same and shook her head. She could wait. Reid couldn't.

Caleb nodded slowly and without warning, threw a sphere of invisible Power at Chase, much like the ones they had traded during the fight for Sarah's life. And Pogue. And Kate. Realizing the stakes at risk here, Caleb went through the list of what would happen if Chase prevailed. The new generation of Charmed Ones and the Elementals as well as the Covenant would be wiped out. Chase would probably go after the old Charmed Ones and so the most powerful family of witches would be gone. Not to mention how he would stalk the families of their Covenant. Caleb's eyes blazed to imagine Chase attacking his mother and the next blow swept up the demons in his line of fire and scattered them all over the stone floor.

Chase retaliated with a series of Power-packed punches that left Caleb breathless – and nearly lifeless – and completely floored. He forced himself to look up, only to see Chase standing over him, showing no signs of stress over the enormous usage of Power.

_But then why should he?_ Caleb mused as Chase lifted him by his shirt and flung him into bare, hard rock. He heard bones crack, felt the pain but no agony. _He's immortal now._ As Chase started to play with him, smashing him all over the place with only a finger, Caleb could have sworn he heard Sarah scream in the distance.

-

_**A/N: **_Whee... who should die, who should live... Don't forget to **REVIEW**!


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